ASSIGNMENT HELP | Lagniappe: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. “

Peer engagement: Read and respond to a peer’s post. The part you respond to is entirely your choice!  I expect your response to your peer to be thought-provoking, meaning that you must in some way further the discussion.  Saying “I agree” is not thought-provoking.  A significant response is usually 2-3 paragraphs long.

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Lagniappe: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. ” -John Quincy Adams, sixth President of the United States. Mary Luttrell is a trusted advisor and business strategy specialist who helps leaders be more effective and their organizations more successful. Luttrell dissects this simple declaration by President Adams into its individual elements to explain leadership. Read more here:  http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/42319/john-quincy-adams-perfectly-defined-leadership/  

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MATT’S POST:

Part 1:

Simon Sinek has been growing on me as of late, and this talk was another great one!  My understanding of the “What, How, and Why” theory is that when trying to inspire action in others, most people start with telling you what they do, followed by how they do it, and ending with why they do it (if they even know themselves.)  He suggests this is because it is line with how our brains think, we start with the “what” because it is the clearest idea to understand, followed by the “how”, and finally the “why” which is the fuzziest of the ideas to comprehend, and it’s uninspiring.  What Sinek suggests is starting with the “Why” and ending with the “What” is a more powerful and effective process.  He uses Apple as an example of this process; Apple’s marketing starts with telling the consumer “why” they do what they do, what they believe:  “Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo.  We believe in thinking differently.”  How they challenge the status quo is by making beautifully designed, easy to use products, and the “what is that they happen to make good computers.  The idea Sinek is relating to us is that people make purchasing decisions, or are otherwise inspired to act, because of the “why”, not the “what.” 

I would have to agree that in most instances, this is the case, especially in today’s more informed and socially conscious society.  Southwest Airlines is another example of a successful business that found that success through focusing on their “why”.  They believe that when customers fly, what they want is to know that their flight will take off, and arrive on time at a price that is fair and affordable.  All decisions are put through this filter, from their open seating plan, to their decision not to serve peanuts.  If the idea doesn’t help to keep the flight arrival on time or decrease the cost, then it doesn’t happen.  By focusing on their “why”, providing affordable, reliable, on-time flights, they have built one of premier airlines in the world that commands a very loyal customer base.  I believe Covey would agree with Sinek’s theory as well.  It lines up perfectly with Covey’s explanation of ethos, pathos, and logos in his habit 5 teachings.  Covey explains that knowing how to be understood is an integral part of effective leadership, and to be understood you need to present information in the appropriate order.  Ethos or personal credibility is first (why), followed by the pathos or feeling (how), and finally logos or logic (what).

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Part 2:

Sinek believes that those you do business with are a reflection of your “why, how, what”.  He illustrates this with a great example involving the first powered, manned flight.  We all know of the Wright brothers, and there success in being the first to achieve powered, manned flight, but what I was not aware of is that there were others trying to accomplish the same goal and with far more resources.  Samuel Pierpont Langley was one of these individuals.  Langley had far more money, a much larger team than the Wright brothers, and they were better educated.  There wasn’t even one college degree amongst the Wright’s team members, but they still managed to succeed before all others.  This is because the members of the Wright’s team believed in the “why”, the dream of the Wright brothers.  Langley’s team worked for the money, the “what”, and gave just enough to get paid.  In contrast, the members of the Wright’s team gave their all, their blood and sweat, because the “why” was that powerful.  Without a clear “why”, you will never get anyone to give you everything they have, they will work, but without passion.  A business without passion is ultimately destined for failure.  This passion from a consumer standpoint will also help determine a business’s success.  A person who is buying a product based on the “why” of a company is more likely to purchase other products offered by the company because the trust is there.  They believe in the different products not because they are great products, but because they believe the company is great.  If there is no understanding or buy-in to the “why” by the customer, then they will only purchase on the merits of the product alone.  If additional offerings do not provide their own “what” sufficiently, then they will likely not buy which in turn could lead to failure of the business.

Part 3: 

Seek to find balance in both work and home life.  Maintain that balance through prioritizing responsibilities, and keeping first things first.  Jobs will come and go, family is forever.

Seek to provide direction to those that look to me for leadership through continued focus on interpersonal relationships.

Maintain a positive outlook in all endeavors.

Listen completely with the goal of understanding before offering solutions.

Do not be afraid to say “No”.

Do not compromise on honesty and integrity.

Do not procrastinate.  If it is important, plan it, and do not allow anything to keep you from executing.

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Don’t sweat the small stuff.  Life is meant to be enjoyed, keep yourself happy, and look for ways to share that joy with those around you.

Remember, no one cares how smart you are, they are only concerned with how you use your intelligence to make things better.  It is up to me to put my knowledge to use for the betterment of everyone in my circle of influence.

Continue to seek new ideas, new paths to learning, and always be improving.

Take every opportunity to be a better person today than I was yesterday.

EDWINS POST:

(1)

Sinek’s model of “What, How, and Why” is a concept that can be easily digested when used to explain his ideas of how companies and organizations relate to their consumers. When represented as a circle diagram, with “What” as the outer most circle and the easiest to understand, “How” as the second circle, easy to understand but more difficult than “What” and “Why” being the inner most circle and the most difficult to explain.  As he stated, most businesses are aware of “what” they do and many understand “How” they do it, but few know “Why”. My first instinct when listening to this was “Profit”, the main reason anyone do anything is to benefit but that benefit isn’t always financial, like he said that is a result and not why. The why would be the company’s values or mission statement, what they aim to represent. The “Why” requires a deeper understanding of who a company or organization wants to be seen as and where their values lie. 

 Sinek states that the most successful leaders and organizations can inspire by working from the inside-out. You start with the “Why” unlike most other that tend to start with the “What”. While I do agree with Sinek about companies being more successful due to their more compelling sells pitch, I don’t think that alone has enough power to persuade consumers to spend hundreds on products or invest heavily in a company. Apple being the main business that Sinek focused on, is extremely successful because not only do they have values that align with their potential consumers but their products back them up. I believe Sinek fails to mention how Apple has such an incredible following is due to their reliability and their commitment to being different and producing products that some would consider the best. One factor that separates Apple from the rest is their ability to adapt and push boundaries with new product ideas and operations, as well as making all their devices work together almost seamlessly which gives more incentive to stick with their brand. I personally have 5 Apple products and ever since my first phone and MacBook, I never had any intentions on going back. This had nothing to do with their ads or promotions but from my own personal experience with their products. Although I am usually more cautious of where and who I’m spending my hard-earned money with, I don’t know much about Apple’s values or how they spend the money they earn, I just know they have products that I find useful. 

When it comes to Covey, there’s no doubt that the two have similar ideas but I find it difficult to say whether he would agree with Sinek. While they both present the idea of working in reverse, from the inside out or beginning with the end in mind, one is referring to the idea of connecting with an audience or possibly a consumer about their brand through relatable ideas (Sinek), while the other is focusing on being that brand by developing who you envision yourself being at the end of your life’s journey (Covey). One thing I did find that overlaps in the two ideas is the development and sharing of “Personal Mission Statements”. Covey says that the most effective way to Begin with the End in Mind is to develop a personal mission statement, or philosophy, or creed. This is important in Sinek’s “Why” as well because it helps to connect the audience or consumer with the unique individuality of the organization. These values allow companies to stand out from the competition by being relatable to those in their target audience. 

(2.)

I think this is an important area to dissect but is simple to understand. A common saying is, “You are, the people you surround yourself with”. In business this would still apply. You cannot call yourself eco-friendly or cruelty-free when you associate with businesses who are not upholding those same values. People are more likely to drop a brand or company that they find out to be doing shady business dealings or violating their beliefs in certain ethical codes. One example of a reflection of values in a company that I appreciate is Nike. Nike is one of the most popular mega-brands with one of the most recognizable symbols of all time. They are no stranger to taking risks and letting the world know what they believe in. 

In 2018, Nike released a series of ads that featured the former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick was fired and blacklisted from the NFL for taking a stand (by kneeing) against police brutality in America. He would kneel during the nation anthem at the start of every televised football game he attended. Nike’s most notable and controversial ad was a billboard with Kaepernick’s face and a quote that read “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything”.  Nike stood firm on their public decision to back Colin, and their support of the Black Lives Matter movement. This initially caused some backlash for Nike, with videos circulating around the internet of people burning or damaging their Nike products, but soon after, their stock and sales were the highest it had been in two years. Consumers, including myself, were impressed by Nike’s mission and their commitment to honoring their values and continued to support the brand. It takes courage for brands to pick sides publicly, especially over controversial issues, due to the risk of losing too many supporters. Smaller businesses might not be able to survive the backlash and boycotting as easily as Nike was, so a lot of factors are involved when it comes to whether this would cause a business to fail or succeed. 

(3) Personal Mission Statement 

 My mission in life cannot be defined by a single word or phrase. I will embrace all that life has to offer; I will do so with confidence, compassion, integrity, understanding, and resilience. I aspire to be a resource to those in need, whether it be for knowledge or companionship. To accomplish goals that are not only satisfying to my own agenda but to the betterment of all. As of today, and every day, continuing to educate myself academically, socially, and culturally, while contributing to my own personal growth is the most important thing to me. To live a life free of restrictions and limitations. To be free of fear, the fear of failure and the fear of success.