“It doesn’t matter what you do, it matters why you do it.”
-Simon Sinek
A cocktail party or networking event wouldn’t be complete without the question, “So, what do you do?” I don’t know if it conveys what we’re interested in hearing as much as it conveys what we’re most comfortable talking about. Have you ever been asked why you do what you do? What would you say?
Most CFO’s have an analytical view of the world that bends toward the practical, so a discussion with a lot of ‘why’s’ doesn’t exactly fall within the realm of the comfort zone. But, Simon Sinek does a great job in this TED Talk challenging you to really connect with your own reasons why you do what you do, and illustrating how great brands are built on the foundation of starting with why. If you don’t have time to watch the video, I picked out two of the most powerful quotes:
“Those that start with why have the ability to inspire those around them”
The potential exists for the influence of the finance department and the office CFO to expand and push into other functional areas, but it’s not going to happen automatically. Simon Sinek makes the point that Martin Luther King, Jr. made the “I have a dream speech, not the I have a plan speech.” The numbers are important, but great leaders inspire. Connect with why you do what you do and communicate from the inside out.
“If you hire people just because they can do a job, they will work for your money, but if you hire because they believe what you believe, they will work with blood, sweat, and tears.”
It’s impossible to train passion. Hiring individuals that are not only competent, but have a strong connection to why they do what they do makes for the most powerful workforce.
I challenge you to ‘start with why’ in your thinking and let your decisions and communication flow from there. Stay tuned and I’ll share the why behind Vantage Cost.