The model
Simon Sinek presented the Golden Circle in his TEDx talk How Great Leaders Inspire Action (2009), one of the most watched TED talks, and in his book Start with Why (2009). The model consists of three concentric circles:
| Circle | Question | Example for a community |
|---|---|---|
| Why | Why do we exist? What do we believe? | “We believe every young person can meet the living God.” |
| How | How do we pursue it? What makes us distinctive? | “We build small groups led by peers.” |
| What | What exactly do we do? | “Friday meetings, retreats, trips.” |
Most organisations communicate from the outside in: they say what they do, sometimes how, rarely why. Sinek argues that people engage and stay loyal when they share the why - the belief and purpose.
Why it works
Sinek linked the model to brain structure (the neocortex handling “what”, the limbic system emotions and decisions). Neuroscientists criticised this simplification. The observation itself, however, matches motivation research: people engage most in activities that are meaningful to them (see motivation) and when they know the purpose, not just the instructions.
Application
- Communicating vision - start with “why” (see vision, leadership communication).
- Recruiting volunteers - invite people to a purpose, not to tasks.
- Change - explain why it is needed before saying what will change (see leading change).
- Consistency test - does what we do express our “why”?
A Christian perspective
For a Church community the deepest “why” is not invented - it grows from the Gospel and Christ's mission. Communities that focus only on the “what” (programmes, events) easily lose their life; those that remember the “why” can change forms while keeping their meaning.
Sources
S. Sinek, How Great Leaders Inspire Action, TEDx Puget Sound, September 2009, ted.com S. Sinek, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, Portfolio 2009