Do You Know Your Why?

All business owners know what they do, and how they do it.  But how many know why they do what they do?  And by why, I don't mean make money, which is just an outcome.  Rather, the "why" is the cause, emotion or belief which makes you, your employees and your customers passionate about what you do; your company's raison d’etre. Often companies have a "why," but don't realize it or cultivate it.

Business owners who know their "why" love what they do and don't compete on price.  More importantly, they inspire like-minded individuals to zealously support (and even evangelize) their company or brand.  Think of Apple's "why" of challenging the status quo, and the many people who LOVE their Macs, iPods, and other Apple products.  In contrast, how many people have you ever heard say I LOVE my Dell?

While business authors have touched upon this topic in their writings (ex., Jim Collin's getting the right people on the bus in Good To Great), a new book addresses this fundamental concept head-on.  In Start Why, author Simon Sinek explains the critical importance of knowing and living your "why" and how it permeates your whole organization.

According to Sinek, your "why" provides a guidepost for all decision-making. The owner doesn't need to make all the decisions when the company's "why" points his or her employees in the right direction. For instance, if your "why" is to be a green accounting firm, then it is easy for a manager to decide between snail mail or email for how to send holiday cards.

The "why" concept also determines your marketing philosophy and allows you to instantly engage prospects. Rather than talking about yourself (like most companies), "why marketing" focuses on your customers.  For those prospects who believe in or can relate to your "why," your message will resonate with them.  For instance, rather than calling itself a printing or marketing company, Queens-based Advantages explains that it is in business of getting you noticed.  Obviously, the latter message is quite compelling for companies looking to stand out in a crowd.

Yet another example involves hiring.  The leaders of companies that know their "why" can write want ads which attract the type of people who believe the same thing as the company. In interviews, candidates can be questioned about the company's "why" and how strongly they fit in within it. For instance, because Advantages' "why" is to get people noticed, it wouldn't hire someone who likes to be the center of attention. Rather, it would look for someone who likes to help others and doesn't have a big ego.

While you should never ignore your "what" and "how," don't forget your "why" as you prepare for 2010.