This is the first blog post in a three-part series on the who/why/what of branding, professional/leadership development and team/culture building.
Let me start with full disclosure. Simon Sinek’s Start with Why treatise is one of the top 10 most watched Ted Talks of all time. And I think Simon Sinek is great. I refer my clients to his Ted Talk all the time. Essentially, Sinek says that “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” Why is all about your purpose and your reason for being, according to Sinek, which he thinks is way more interesting than what it is you actually do. He also says if you know your Why, you’ll figure out the What and then the How.
I totally agree with Simon, except for one thing—he starts a question too late for me. Instead of starting with their W
hy, I think people and groups who want to understand themselves and/or compel others need to start with their Who. Articulating who you really are is the key to finding your passion, your conviction, your authenticity and your voice. It’s also the foundation on which trust, relationship and engagement are built. That’s because we understand ourselves and each other through the framework of narratives—and stories always unfold in a who, why and what sequence. Here are the three components that shape any great storyline:
- Who: A protagonist (the best self of an individual or team that creates the impetus for a narrative based on something deeply true about their identity)
- Why: A quest (the protagonist’s purpose, which ultimately is challenged by a conflict that stops its fulfillment)
- What: A happy ending (the protagonist’s promise, or the ultimate conflict resolution the protagonist can enable or produce).
Using Your Who to Build Motivation, Engagement and Trust
Every truly developed individual, team or organization needs to explore and articulate who they are, why they need to exist and what they’ll do or deliver as a result. The answers to those questions can shape an identity that makes compelling sense of us to ourselves and others—and frame a guidance system for our beliefs and actions that keeps us true to that essential sense of self. Consider these other reasons for starting with Who instead of Why:
- Who is a two-dimensional question—it makes us look at the dynamic combination of strengths and values that forge a best self. The protagonists in great stories always succeed because their most authentic strengths and values work in tandem, not as isolated parts. The combination of genuine strengths and values makes any protagonist more credible, more deeply empowered and ultimately more likely to be successful. This step is also the foundation in developing an inspiring leadership or professional presence.
- Who is the foundation for answering the Why and the What of our existence. It’s really tough to know why you’re here if you don’t know who you are and how you want to be. Many people I talk to say they don’t know what their passion or purpose is—often, it’s because they’ve skipped an exploration of their own character and capacity as a first step.
- Who makes it much easier to tell our own story to others. My organizational clients often tell me they don’t know how to tell their own story well. Any great story begins with characters that everyone can understand and relate to—so casting ourselves or our organizations in a role and/or locating ourselves in a storyline that conveys who we really are is the first step in knowing and sharing our real story. It’s also the foundation of a great brand.
- Who fuels positive intrinsic motivation and engagement. Knowing who we are can breathe more vivid life into everything we do, motivating and empowering us in our work and in our worlds. When organizations help their people do this—and leverage the contribution quotient that’s discovered—true employee engagement can be developed. Great teams and cultures can be built on this kind of foundation.
- Who builds authenticity and trust. Customers or other stakeholders are also more likely to engage with organizations when their authentic strengths and values are clear. It’s critical to remember that no relationship moves forward without trust (including the one we have with ourselves).
So, what are the best ways to find and express your Who? The following steps apply to professionals/leaders, teams or organizations:
Step #1: Cast yourself in an authentic individual or organizational role. You can start that process using the free Professional Strengths, Values and Story Survey, which measures how much you relate to 12 universally well-known characters in stories that have recurred throughout time. Here’s the link: http://www.storybranding.com/take-the-svss-survey/.
Step #2: Articulate your story-based strengths and values. Once you’ve started working with a character, you need to understand your own way of expressing and living its core attributes. Make a list of the specific strengths you bring to the table because you’re like this, and the related values that matter most to you when it comes to professional success, fulfillment and contribution.
Step #3: Create a defining identity statement. To anchor your sense of self, you can create a statement that articulates the real nature of who you are. Here’s a template to fill out:
At my/our best, we’re most like a (fill in the character) because: _____________________________.
If you don’t want to work with the SVSS to establish a character, here’s another line you can work with:
At my/our best, who we really are is:___________________________________________________.
In my next post, I’ll talk about building on Who to get at your Why. Meanwhile, feel free to share who you are in the comments!
Cindy Atlee is a Creator type who loves to help clients understand and express who they really are in the world. She’s the principal of The Storybranding Group and co-author of the Professional Strengths, Values & Story Survey (SVSS). Cindy also trains coaches and consultants to work with the story typing framework; find out about her next training from March 29-31 here: http://bit.do/March2017StoryTypeTraining