Why do some organizations do what they do, and others merely become it? Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle answers that with three circles: WHY, HOW, WHAT. After years in technical organizations and my own consulting, I consider it one of the most useful thinking patterns — when it is used right. And usually it is used wrong.
The question
What it is really about: what makes the WHY a working basis instead of an advertising line?
The three circles — concretely
- WHY — the reason: Why does the company or team exist? Not the profit, that is a result. The conviction behind it.
- HOW — the principles: How do you work to live the why? These are the distinguishing values in everyday life, not on the poster.
- WHAT — the result: What concretely comes out of it: products, services, behavior.
The most common misuse
Many organizations formulate an emotional WHY and then keep working exactly as before. The why becomes an advertising line. It only becomes meaningful when it passes three tests:
- Decisions are measurable against it: was the last big decision actually made by it?
- It is noticeable in daily work: can employees describe it without quoting the poster?
- It distinguishes: could a competitor write the same WHY?
Practical conclusions
- Start with the why, and start inside first.
- Test the WHY against real decisions, not marketing copy.
- If the WHY doesn’t hold: first check whether it is the right one, or whether it simply is missing.
What does your company stand for, and can you see it in the decisions? A conversation brings it to the point.