Simon Sinek: Leadership and being a Leader
Summary
TLDRThis script emphasizes the importance of leadership through the lens of human behavior and motivation. It argues that true leadership is about inspiring followership, not authority or rank. The speaker advocates for a clear vision, purpose, and the creation of a supportive, family-like work environment where employees feel valued and protected. The script also highlights the significance of metrics as a means to measure progress towards a shared goal, not just as an end in themselves. It concludes with the idea that by fostering a culture of care and accountability, leaders can inspire innovation, loyalty, and long-term success.
Takeaways
- 😌 Leadership is fundamentally about having followers who voluntarily choose to follow your direction, not about rank or title.
- 🔄 Human behavior can be influenced by incentives and disincentives, much like a company's performance can be driven by rewards and punishments.
- 🎯 A true leader must provide a clear vision and purpose for the organization, explaining why the company exists and what it aims to achieve beyond profit.
- 💡 The importance of metrics in a company is to measure progress towards the vision, not just to track numbers for their own sake.
- 🤝 Accountability in a human context is not to a number but to a person, highlighting the importance of relationships in a work environment.
- 👨👧👦 The workplace should be seen as a family where everyone is given love, support, and a sense of belonging, akin to the care a parent provides to their children.
- 🙌 The best leaders are servant leaders who prioritize the well-being and growth of their employees, understanding that putting people first leads to long-term success.
- 🛠️ In times of crisis, innovative solutions like furlough programs can be implemented to avoid layoffs, promoting a sense of shared responsibility and cooperation.
- 🤔 The value of an employee's work is not just in their output but in their contribution to the team's success and the company's long-term goals.
- 🌐 The speaker advocates for a shift in focus from short-term growth targets to building a company that can endure for a hundred years, fostering a culture of sustainability.
- 💌 The importance of personal interaction and investing time and energy in relationships at work, as opposed to relying solely on digital communication.
Q & A
What is the essential element of being a leader according to the transcript?
-The essential element of being a leader is having followers who choose to voluntarily follow the direction set by the leader, rather than being forced or incentivized through external means.
How does the transcript compare human beings to a company in terms of motivation?
-The transcript compares human beings to a company by stating that both are motivated by incentives and disincentives. Just as companies are given bonuses for hitting targets, humans are driven by chemically produced feelings like love, trust, and joy.
What role does a clear vision play in leadership according to the speaker?
-A clear vision is crucial in leadership as it provides a purpose for the company's existence beyond just making money or producing goods. It helps people understand why they are doing what they are doing and gives them a sense of direction and belonging.
What does the speaker suggest is the purpose of metrics in a company?
-The speaker suggests that the purpose of metrics is to measure progress towards the company's vision. Each metric should indicate that the company is getting closer to its goals, providing a sense of fulfillment and motivation.
How does the speaker define accountability in the context of leadership?
-Accountability, according to the speaker, is not to a number but to a person. It's about feeling responsible to someone who is supposed to look after us, which is crucial for a sense of fulfillment and commitment.
What is the concept of a 'servant leader' as described in the transcript?
-A 'servant leader' is someone who gives selflessly to those in their organization, offering protection and support. They are focused on helping their team members achieve more than they could have imagined, prioritizing people over numbers.
What example does the speaker provide to illustrate the importance of putting people first?
-The speaker cites Bob Chapman, the CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, who, instead of laying off employees during a financial crisis, implemented a furlough program where everyone took unpaid time off, ensuring that all employees shared the burden.
How does the speaker relate the concept of family to the workplace?
-The speaker relates the concept of family to the workplace by suggesting that a company is like a family, with leaders acting as parents. They should provide undying love, support, and a sense of safety, just as parents would for their children.
What is the significance of the 'I have a dream' speech by Martin Luther King in the context of the transcript?
-The 'I have a dream' speech is used as an example of how a leader can put a vision into words, making it visible and understandable to others, and rallying people around a common goal.
What advice does the speaker give regarding the hiring process in a company?
-The speaker advises treating hiring like adopting a child, where the focus is on finding someone who fits the company culture and will be given the opportunity to contribute and grow within the organization.
What is the speaker's vision for the future of work?
-The speaker's vision is a world where the majority of people are inspired to go to work and come home fulfilled by their jobs. They believe that loving one's job is a right, not a privilege, and that a supportive and caring work culture can help achieve this.
Outlines
😀 The Essence of Leadership and Followership
This paragraph discusses the fundamental aspect of leadership, which is the ability to attract followers. It emphasizes that leadership is not about rank or title, but about inspiring others to voluntarily follow the direction set by the leader. The human being is compared to a company, where incentives and disincentives are used to drive behavior. The speaker talks about the importance of a clear vision for a company, the purpose beyond making money, and how leaders must articulate this vision to inspire followers. The concept of metrics as a means to measure progress towards the vision is also explained, highlighting that the ultimate goal is not just the numbers but the fulfillment that comes from working towards a shared vision.
👨👩👧👦 Leadership as Servanthood in the Workplace
The second paragraph draws a parallel between parenting and leadership in a company. It suggests that leaders should provide the same undying love and support to their employees as parents do to their children. The leader's role is to ensure that employees can achieve more than the leader could have imagined. The concept of a 'servant leader' is introduced, where the leader serves the employees, prioritizing their well-being over numbers. The story of Bob Chapman and his company, Barry-Wehmiller, is shared as an example of a leader who prioritizes people over profits, even during a financial crisis. The importance of cooperation and mutual support is highlighted, using the Marine Corps' training philosophy as an example. The paragraph concludes with the proverb 'go fast go alone, go far go together,' emphasizing the long-term success of a company that values its people.
💼 Building a Lasting Company Culture
The final paragraph focuses on the goal of building a company that lasts for generations. It encourages leaders to shift their focus from short-term financial gains to creating a lasting legacy. The speaker criticizes the common practice of treating employees as disposable and instead advocates for a culture of continuous support and opportunity. The hiring process is compared to adopting a child, where careful consideration is given to ensure a good fit within the company culture. The importance of personal interactions and investing time and energy in relationships is stressed, as it fosters a stronger bond and sense of belonging among employees. The speaker imagines a world where people are inspired to go to work and feel fulfilled by their contributions. The talk concludes with a call to action for leaders to build cultures that prioritize people, which is beneficial for innovation, progress, and profit.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Leadership
💡Followers
💡Purpose
💡Metrics
💡Accountability
💡Servant Leadership
💡Fulfillment
💡Cooperation
💡Innovation
💡Relationships
💡Culture
Highlights
Leadership is fundamentally about having followers who choose to follow your direction.
Leadership is not about rank or title, but about inspiring voluntary commitment from others.
Incentives and disincentives are used to influence behavior, both in organizations and individuals.
Chemically produced feelings like love, trust, and joy serve as incentives for human behavior.
A clear vision is essential for a leader to guide and motivate their team.
The purpose of a company should extend beyond profit to offer value and create a lasting impact.
Metrics are tools to measure progress towards a vision, not just about the numbers.
Accountability in a team is to people, not to numbers or targets.
Leaders must provide a sense of belonging, safety, and protection, akin to a family.
Servant leadership involves prioritizing the well-being and growth of team members.
Bob Chapman's approach at Barry-Wehmiller demonstrates the success of prioritizing people over numbers.
In times of crisis, shared sacrifice can foster unity and cooperation within a company.
The Marine Corps emphasizes collective success and mutual support, highlighting the importance of 'we' over 'I'.
Long-term company success is more about building a lasting culture than just rapid growth.
Hiring should be approached with the same care and consideration as adopting a child into a family.
In difficult times, the quality of a team is judged by how they handle challenges, not calm seas.
Fostering personal relationships and face-to-face communication builds stronger workplace connections.
Investing time and energy into people is essential for mutual respect and fulfillment.
Loving one's job is a right, not a privilege, and should be an entitlement for all employees.
Cultural improvement and employee satisfaction lead to innovation, progress, and profit.
Transcripts
to be a leader requires one thing and
one thing only followers that's it it
has nothing to do nothing to do with the
rank or title it has to do with whether
others are going to choose the volunteer
raise their hands and volunteer to go in
the direction that you set we can force
people to do things we can whip them
into shape or offer them all kinds of
carrots and sticks to get them to do
things but the end of the day a true
leader is the one where others raised
their hand and says and say I will
follow you the question is why should
anyone follow you now the human animal
is like a company if we want to get
certain behaviors out of the
organization out of people we give them
certain incentives or disincentives we
are exactly the same if you want someone
to perform if you want them to hit a
goal we set the target we set the goal
we offer them some sort of bonus if they
get there and we incentivize the
behavior if we threaten someone with a
punishment we disincentivize the
behavior wait till your father comes
home you know anyone who's a parent with
gold stars or bonuses or all kinds of
things we're used to this this is normal
the human body works exactly the same
way if you've ever had a feeling of love
trust joy fulfillment status pride those
are all chemically produced feelings
they're chemically produced incentives
trying to get us the human bodies trying
to get us to do certain things to get us
to cooperate tangible matters we can
only we can only see the things we have
words for right and this is why the
leader must provide a clear vision why
are we doing this why are we in business
in the first place what is the point of
growing the company that you're growing
everybody talks of what's your growth
what's the point of the growth in other
words you have a company why do you have
that company what is the value your
company is offering to others and and
what what do you want your company to
leave behind when you're gone there has
to be a purpose for why your company
exists beyond the things you make beyond
the things you do beyond the money you
make you had the purpose when you
founded the company otherwise you
wouldn't have taken the crazy risk to
start
with the overwhelming chance of failure
and people wouldn't have given you blood
sweat and tears if they didn't believe
in you
because you were the Alpha you had the
vision you had the strength and they
wanted your protection and they joined
you and I gave you their blood sweat and
tears because you gave them a sense of
purpose and belonging and protection you
have to know why you do what you do and
this is what the leaders do and the more
they can put it into words the clearer
they can put it into the word the more
we can see it again we can only see the
things we have words for and so when you
can put these things into words other
people can see them I have a dream
Martin Luther King put into words the
vision seeing he had the rest of us
could see it too and now could focus all
of our attention all of our efforts on
getting it done and every metric and
this is the purpose of metrics every
metric we use is to is it's not about
the metric metrics are supposed to
measure progress in other words each
metric is the tree getting a little
bigger each each metric is us getting a
little closer to the gazelle we get
another little shot of dopamine each
metric shows us that we're getting
closer to the vision it's not just about
the numbers at the end of the year how
do we do we're up good towards what
towards what we don't know what we're
getting closer to and it makes work
unfulfilled don't know what we're
working towards dopamine we don't care
if we let down the goal like if we have
a goal that we have to achieve for work
and we miss the goal do we feel bad that
we let the numbers down no we feel bad
that we let somebody we love down we
feel bad that we let down our boss we
let down our parents we let down our
coach we let down our drill instructor
we feel bad and we let down as human
being accountability is never to a
number accountability is to a person and
if there is no relationship with the
person who's supposed to look after us
on a postman we're supposed to be
working for then we don't feel
accountable and this is where leadership
becomes really really important you see
when we give selflessly to those in our
tribe offering them protection because
that's all anybody wants at work they
want to feel safe comfortable protected
think about it as a parent you know back
in those days there were no countries
they were
corporations there were no companies
they didn't exist there's only one thing
that pre-existed all of those things the
family that's all we had each other
think about it what do we say to our
children you don't get to choose your
children some of them are funny-looking
some of them not that smart okay those
the kids you got sorry you get to pick
your employees we don't get to pick your
children and yet it doesn't matter who
your kids are whether they're the best
looking or not whether the smartest or
not whether they're strongest or not you
give them undying love and you don't
point out their weaknesses if you're a
good parent you point out their
strengths if you're a good parent you
encourage them to do the things that
they're good at and you hold them up and
sometimes you let them fail and learn
for themselves and sometimes you
discipline them and sometimes you prop
them up and sometimes you push them and
sometimes you let them go and more than
anything else all we want for our
children is to achieve more than we
could have achieved and we will do that
by providing them support a feeling of
safety a feeling of protection well
guess what it ain't no difference at
work stop saying our company is like a
family it is a family and you are the
mother and you are the father and the
minute you hire someone you must give
them undying love and you must work
tirelessly to see that they can achieve
more than you could ever have imagined
yourself achieving those are the best
leaders that's what it means to be a
servant leader any company any CEO that
says to me proudly we put our customers
first I always say then that means you
put your employees at least second we
put people first human beings come first
not numbers we sacrifice people to save
the numbers but we don't sacrifice the
numbers to save the people a little bit
backwards and yet when we are willing to
sacrifice the numbers to save people you
watch what happens to people there's a
guy by the name of Bob Chapman in st.
Louis Missouri who runs a company called
barry-wehmiller so 1.6 billion dollar
private company with 20% year-over-year
growth for the past 20 years Warren
Buffett has 6% what is Bob's secret
he is obsessed about people he doesn't
even talk about what his company does it
happens to be heavy manufacturing large
capital expenditure machinery when
kimberly-clark wants to buy a machine to
make toilet paper they make the machine
huge huge blue collar you know sort of
good old-fashioned American
manufacturing when the when the
financial crisis hit Bob's company lost
thirty percent of their revenues off the
top boom gone they could not afford
their labor pool at all and so they sat
down and they said oh my god do we have
to have layoffs and Bob refused and so
they implemented a furlough program
where every employee from CEO to
secretary had to take four weeks of
unpaid time off they didn't have to take
it consecutively and they could take it
whenever they wanted those who could
afford it more would trade with those
who could afford it less it was
remarkable and Bob told the company it's
better we should all suffer a little
that any of us should have to suffer a
lot as human beings we are biologically
designed to cooperate and we want to
help each other when you give someone
the responsibility when you put them in
a position of power or authority for
their responsibilities they rise up why
because we all want to feel that our
lives have value we all want to feel
that our lives and the work that we do
is valuable to the tribe we all want to
know that our company needs us but we
don't make people feel need as needed
and we don't make their work feel
necessary because we take all the
responsibility we don't let them have it
and when people feel fulfilled when we
make them feel necessary they feel proud
because something got done because they
were a part of it they will give more
and more and more and more people in the
Marine Corps are willing to give their
lives for people they barely know
because they've learned to trust each
other when you show up at Parris Island
or in San Diego for the first day of
boot camp and you're standing there the
yellow footprints the drill instructor
will yell in your face this far away
from you the first word they hear the
words I me my are no longer in your
vocabulary they will be replaced with we
together and us they are taught that
success does not come by yourself it
only comes in a group
there's an old African proverb to go
fast go alone to go far go together
we're all talking about how quickly
we're growing our companies but how long
will your company last 80% of the Dow
index are 35 years or younger sure we
build fast growing companies but they
don't last I watched it I watched I went
to the crucible and watched these
Marines the crucible is their final test
before they become Marines they're out
for 56 hours they get three meals a
total of eight hours sleep the entire
time they're exhausted they're tired
they're dirty they're working hard and
you watch a fire squad of four guys
making their way under barbed wire and
shots fired and all of this mayhem ins
dirt and sand and it's crazy and they're
dragging themselves across the dirt and
one of the guys is tired and starts
falling back but they have to achieve
the mission they've got to get to the
other side but what do they do they stop
they go back they grab his webbing and
they pull they slowed themselves down
because they'd rather slow down with all
four then go fast with three to go fast
go alone to go far go together next time
somebody says what are your goals
stop saying to increase top-line
revenues by a million dollars and ten
million dollars or whatever you want to
do next year and start saying we're
building a company that's going to last
a hundred years watch the changes that
happen inside the company devote
yourself not to firing people but to
give them an opportunity to contribute
and if they fail help them up and if
they fail help them up and if they fail
help them up and if you really think
they're incompetent and you really don't
believe they fit your culture why did
you hire them because of their resumes
or because they belong we should treat
hiring like adopting a child we don't
adopt children were saying well I'd like
a blonde haired blue-eyed kid yay hi and
I want to make sure that they've done
well in preschool before I take them
well that's how we hire people I'm
looking for somebody with experience in
our industry with at least five years
with this kind of niall you mean it will
take you no that's not what we do when
we adopt a child we're going to give
them the keys to our house we let them
run around by themselves maybe even give
them responsibility over our other
children it's a slow decision we want to
get to know the kid we want to spend a
little time with the kid
see if there would fit in our family if
our other kids would get along with them
hiring is exactly the same you cannot
judge the quality of a company by the
good times we cannot judge the quality
of a crew when the when the seas are
calm we judge the quality of a crew and
the seas are rough and numbers will
never come to your aid ever people will
if your things are going great and
everything is growing and you feel that
everyone is disposable guess what they
think the same about you it's reciprocal
it's always balanced time and energy
roam the halls implement policies where
if you have something to say somebody
not just the exchange of information if
you want to pay someone a compliment if
you want to ask somebody a question
about their work not about some fact
like what time's the meeting you do not
send emails you stand up you walk the 35
feet and you walk into the ref and say
hey quick question for you that thing
that you did for the client can you just
tell me a little more about it because I
have a client meeting I promise you the
relationships that will form simply
because people are giving time and
energy it's too quick to send an e mails
too easy if you come over if I come over
to your house for dinner and a day later
I send you this beautiful email how
grateful I am for the dinner that you
made for me or if I sent you a
handwritten note with the exact same
words which one makes you feel better a
handwritten note it's not the words it's
not the intention it's the time and
energy we take and if you think you're
too busy to give time and energy to your
people then they're too busy to get time
and energy to you it is a balanced
equation I imagine a world in which the
vast majority of people wake up every
single morning inspire to go to work and
come home every single day fulfilled by
the work that they do
I believe that loving our jobs is a
right a not a privilege
why should it be just a lucky few who
get to love going to work it is an
entitlement that we all have and by
saying love our jobs doesn't mean to
like them every day we love our children
every day we don't like them every day
right we don't have to like every day
but it can be hard but we get to love it
every day and the thing that makes us
love our jobs is not the work that we're
doing it's the way we feel when we go
there we feel safe we feel protect
we feel that someone wants us to achieve
more and is giving us the opportunity to
prove to themselves and to ourselves
that we can this is the world that I
imagine this is why I do these talks
because I'm just a cog in the wheel cog
in the machine I'm just a small piece of
the jigsaw puzzle I come to this to
speak to them the nice people like
yourselves because you're the ones who
are running companies you're the ones
who are in control of the cultures that
you're building you're the ones who
determine who you hire and who you don't
are you hiring based on skills you're
hiring based on culture I come and share
these ideas with you with the hope that
some of you will try some of these
things and over the course of time you
will watch your own cultures improve and
the people love coming to work oh and by
the way it's good for innovation is good
for progress and it's good for profit
aside so I thank you very much
you
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