In the short career I have had thus far, I have rejected one interview opportunity and one job offer. And the reactions given to me for these two decisions were completely different.
The interview I rejected was for a Sales Executive position. It came at a time when I was uncertain about my future within the company. The reaction was complete disbelief and bewilderment from the people I know.
The job offer I put down was for a Senior Recruiter position. This was during a time the company I was working at was in a transitioning stage. The decision was welcomed with praise and pride (just for clarity, I had never worked in a recruitment position prior to the offer).
In both cases, I had gone through a thought process that started with the question "Why?" Why am I working? Why do I love Training and Development? Why would I want to be a Sales Executive or a Senior Recruiter? These are the questions that helped me forge the career path I am in right now.
“But where did that intuitive perspective come from,” did you ask? The answer: a TED Talk by Simon Sinek, titled “Start with Why.” In that talk, Sinek speaks about how the word “why” should come before the “how” and the “what” of what you do, what you love, and what you create. He explains how true leaders inspire people by communicating purpose before process. When people are told what to do without understanding why it matters, disengagement often follows. That is exactly what Sinek is talking about when he says “Start with Why”.
Leadership isn’t just ordering to do something. Leadership isn’t just making sure things get done. Leadership is making sure the people you work with and the people you serve know why you are doing it. That starts when you know it yourself.
Personally, every time I deliver a training session, I don't start off by saying, "Today's objective is...". Rather I begin with, "Why are you here?" The difference? Objectives are the "why I am delivering the training." But, when you ask their reason for being there, you get an understanding of what people want. You know how to tailor your leadership style or, in my case, the training, to actually connect with them and gain their trust and confidence.
As a leader, one of the most important steps you need to take is making sure your “why” aligns with the “why” of your people. They are the ones who will be there when you succeed. Someone once said to me, “If I know what you love, I can get you to do anything.” And this is true, be it in training, leadership, or customer relations. As long as you know why a person wants to work for you, it will be easier to achieve the set goal.
Look around. Notice the leaders around you. Identify those that are known as “exceptional leaders” or “exemplary leaders”. Those are the ones that show you purpose and intent before the path and the method. They are the ones who ensure people know why they do what they do and know why they love what they love. And they make sure that that intent is well established with others. People may follow instructions, but they commit to purpose. That is why leadership begins not with the “what”, but with the “why”.
