What is the Golden Circle?
The Golden Circle is a concept created by Simon Sinek, a well-known public speaker and author, that seeks to explain why some organizations and people are more successful than others. It is based on the idea that by focusing on why an organization does what it does, rather than what it does and how it does it, the organization can be more successful.
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How to Use the Golden Circle
The Golden Circle can be used to help organizations and individuals to understand why they do what they do. It can be used to help focus on the core purpose of an organization or individual, instead of just the products or services that are offered. It can also be used to create a more meaningful and compelling mission statement. Additionally, the Golden Circle can be used to create more effective communication strategies, as it helps to focus on why an organization or individual does what it does, instead of just what it does.
How the Golden Circle works
Defining the Why
The “Why” of the Golden Circle is the purpose, cause, or belief behind an organization, individual, or movement. It is the reason why they do what they do and the motivating factor that drives them to action. It is often the most overlooked part of the Golden Circle, but it’s essential for understanding why people do what they do.
Questions:
- Why do we do what we do?
- Why should people care?
- Why do we get out of bed every morning to come to work?
- Why do we do this rather than anything else?
Defining the How
The “How” of the Golden Circle is the strategy or process of achieving the “Why”. It explains how the organization, individual, or movement plans to achieve their goals and objectives. It is important to remember that the “How” is not necessarily the same as the “What” – it’s not necessarily the way a thing looks or what it does, but rather how it is done.
Questions:
- How do we do what we do?
- How do we put our Why into action?
Defining the What
The “What” of the Golden Circle is the product or service an organization, individual, or movement provides. It is the tangible outcome of the “Why” and the “How” – it is the result of the effort that has gone into achieving the goals and objectives. But it is probably not what keeps you up at night or attracts new talent to your company.
Questions:
- This is likely the easiest to answer:
What do we do?
When to use the Golden Circle
- To develop your brand and marketing messaging
- To inform current and future product development
- To gain alignment on values within your organization
Examples for the Golden Circle
The following are fictional examples for some well-known companies.
Booking.com
Why
Booking.com exists to make travel accessible and affordable for everyone.
How
Booking.com offers a comprehensive range of travel services, such as hotel and flight booking, car rental, and other travel-related services. They also provide customers with the latest travel deals and discounts.
What
Booking.com provides an easy-to-use platform that allows travelers to search and book hotels, flights, car rentals, and other travel services.
Wikipedia
Why
Wikipedia exists to provide free access to the sum of all knowledge.
How
Wikipedia is a collaborative effort of millions of volunteers who write and edit articles in order to create an encyclopedia that is free for everyone to use.
What
Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that is free for anyone to access and use. It contains millions of articles written and edited by volunteers from all over the world.
Why
Google exists to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.
How
Google uses a variety of technologies, such as search algorithms and artificial intelligence, to develop products and services that help people find what they are looking for quickly and easily.
What
Google provides a range of products and services, such as search, maps, and email, that help people find and access the information they need.
Key Takeaways
The Golden Circle is a simple yet powerful concept that can be used to help organizations and individuals understand why they do what they do. By focusing on why an organization or individual does what it does, rather than just what it does, the organization or individual can create a more meaningful and compelling mission statement, as well as more effective communication strategies.
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