Why You Need to Know Your "Why"

In my last blog I offered career advice about the importance of understanding what you want out of your profession and the power of being able to articulate it clearly to others. In this blog I want to impress upon both candidates and employers on the power of understanding and articulating “The Why.”

In its simplest form, “The Why” is the passion you have for what you do. All entities have it: people, companies, non-profit organizations, politicians, etc. Typically most don’t have a keen ability to answer questions such as: “Why do you do what you do?” “Why do you work for this company?” “Why is your company in business?” Not only should one be able to answer these questions but they should be able to answer them in a quick, effective, or most importantly, in a inspiring manner. We’ve found the ability to articulate your passion, or your Why, to be one of the most compelling and greatest differentiators, particularly when it comes to making career choices and attracting talent.

Simon Sinek, a famous author, consultant, and speaker, became famous for developing and popularizing the concept of “the golden circle.” The concept is that human motivation occurs in layers; the outer most layer being ‘What,’ then ‘How,’ and finally at its core is Why. It delves into a naturally occurring pattern grounded in the psychology of human decision-making that explains why we are inspired by some leaders, messages, or organizations over others. The concept theorizes that people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. It also gives far more weight in the decision process to emotional feelings rather than logic or rationalization. This means that when people make decisions, they often tend to do so by relying on a “gut” feeling, trusting the inner sense of understanding they have for what someone or something stands for.  

The trouble is that most companies and candidates don’t understand how to communicate their Why effectively, if at all.  Whether it’s trying to compel a great candidate to join their firm or convincing a prospective employer to hire them, it’s critical for individuals to have a clear understanding for and be able to express why they’re in the business in the first place.

For example: I have a client that is looking for a highly skilled, highly sought-after software developer. This company is established, growing, makes quality software products, and has a great reputation for treating and paying their employees well. On the surface layer of decision-making, this company has a very well-established and attractive ‘what,’ but so do many other companies. These incentives don’t get to the core, where a candidate can understand why the company is in business or why people love working there. Because of this the company is only slightly differentiated in an already crowed and competitive market. 

Instead we recommend a message more like: “Our culture is centered on challenging the status quo in our industry by building dynamic and game changing software. If you’re someone who is passionate about being an innovator and want to be part of the vanguard of your industry… our company is built for you.” Guess which message sticks out better against the other suitors desperately trying to get this candidate’s attention?   

Conversely, consider the person that we all know is highly skilled and qualified in their respective field, but cannot get hired. When people like this get referred to me, I look at their resume and wonder how they could possibly be having trouble finding a new role. Then I speak with them and ask them why they do what they do and get an answer that inspires no action. For instance, “Well I have a family to feed,” “I need a paycheck,” or “This is what I have done my whole career.” Let me contrast this example; consider Barack Obama and his meteoric rise to the white house. Think about his message during the campaign of 2008, how passionate people felt about his campaign. He didn’t talk about a plan, budgets or policy. He simply talked about what he believed and people flocked to support this political underdog. His message of “Hope and Change” became the cause for many individuals and a grassroots movement was set ablaze.  

If you consider that Barack Obama had a lot less experience than any of his other competitors, it would seem to defy the classical hiring logic that we have all grown to accept as the truth. The fact is, that the classic logic of picking he candidate with the most experience was thrown completely out the window because people had a gut feeling about him. They were inspired to take action and support this man and forgo all other more experienced competitors. Granted, there are many other contributing factors to who wins the US Presidency, but the example remains palpable. People are inspired to take action for people that they develop an emotional connection with and it’s done by rallying people around “The Why.”  The same is true with hiring, people want to work for or work with others who are passionate and believe in what they are doing.

Below are some steps to help you define your Why and use it to inspire others to work for you or hire you.

1.     Think long and hard about why you do what you do or why you are working for your company. This is an exercise that will come easier for some than others.  Whiteboard it, write it down, experiment and find what works.

a.     Note: A paycheck answer is simply not acceptable here. If that is the only answer you can muster, then it’s time for a change.

2.     Ask others, exchange ideas, see how your Why resonates with others. Again, experiment - you’ll be surprised at what type of responses you get.

3.     Once you have established your Why, ask your leaders or future employers why they do what they do. If yours is not aligned with theirs, it’s probably time to consider a change or you shouldn’t consider working for them.

4.     Lead with Why when you interview people or are being interviewed, and watch the magic happen. It’s a great way to connect with someone and stimulate a conversation where both parties can honestly learn about one another.

a.     Note: If you are a sales person, this is a solid gold concept to use with prospective clients, but BS and insincerity will be quickly sniffed out. And if you damage an emotional connection with some, you’re dead. Same goes in hiring/career moves.

5.     Learn to listen to your gut feelings. It’s amazing how accurate they can be. Think about it, how many times has your gut instinct been wrong about something important? I venture to say very few, if ever. I think most of us can agree that the lion’s share of bad decisions we’ve made in our life have been when we didn’t trust our gut.  

As for me, why do I slave away in possibly the toughest, craziest, most competitive roller coaster ride of a business? For me, it’s simple. I love changing people’s lives for the better and advancing the growth trajectory of my client’s companies. I am addicted to the action. If you ask any of my clients, they will tell you that is why they do business with my firm and me. We believe in a purpose and understand our Why.