What is the dream of your organization?

Non-profit organizations can achieve more with Simon Sinek’s “Why.” What is your dream?Are you familiar with Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle? He wrote the book in 2009.Start With WHY – How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action(in Dutch translated asStart with the why), which has already seen nineteen printings. In it, he explains that the why of a company or organization is the most important element in communication, and more.

How can you inspire people and prompt them to take action? According to Sinek, by having a common purpose, belief, or motive. Because that is what people can connect to.

Inspiring people

Of course, you can also persuade people to use your services or products in other ways, such as advertising, lowering your prices, giving an extra gift with a purchase, or having an expert endorse your product. Sinek calls this manipulation and it works, but only in the short term. People will easily choose another brand for their next purchase or service choice, as they do not feel connected to your company or organization.

“We can achieve more if we start with the why,” says Sinek.

Think different

Apple is a great example. The why of Apple is challenging the status quo by thinking differently. Do you know their video?Think differentTheir goal was and is to give individuals more power compared to large companies and governments. What they did was develop a user-friendly PC for citizens when computers were only for businesses. Later, they provided people access to a large collection of songs with the iPod and iTunes, so they didn’t have to buy entire albums anymore. This challenged the music industry to rethink their business model.

People who share these ideals, who love individual autonomy and doing things differently, are attracted to Apple. More than attracted, they feel part of a community. Who among you has spent the night outside the Apple store when a new iPhone was released?

Start with the why

Sinek explains that when we communicate from the inside out, starting by talking about our why, and then about the how and the what, our message comes across very differently to people. There is then a feeling, an emotion attached to it, which is often missing in the how and the what. Listen to hisTED talkThe reason for your organization is not something you come up with easily, nor do you change it overnight; the reason is a constant. It influences your own employees and volunteers, your future employees and volunteers, and your target audience, your customers, your participants. A good reason allows room for innovation and flexibility. And provides your organization with a strong authentic story and a foundation for a strategy.

Use your advantage

Non-profit organizations always have a strong why. By definition, they have an ideal, a social interest, or a cultural purpose. In that sense, they have it much easier than companies that sell things like toilet paper or chewing gum. However, not all volunteer organizations take advantage of this benefit.

Want to know how to get started with your why and achieve more success in engaging and activating people?Come to the workshop What is the dream of your organization?