By Kelley Reynard

Simon Sinek, author best known for popularising the concept of “the golden circle” and to “Start with Why”, leads an interesting and insightful Ted Talk about the qualities of true and authentic leaders who make their people feel safe. He draws comparisons between Officers in the Military who receive medals for their willingness to sacrifice themselves for others; and people in Business who receive bonuses willing to sacrifice others so that they may gain. This comparison leads Sinek to the conclusion that although some people are born with more caring and compassionate natures, it’s actually the environment that brings out the best in people. If the environment is right, Sinek puts forth that every single one of us has the capacity to do remarkable things and achieve outstanding goals.

People have no control over external events like the stock market or an uncertain economy; however the one constant that remains, is the conditions inside the organisation. Sinek highlights this is where true leadership happens. It’s the leader that sets the tone, and when a leader makes the choice to make people feel safe and feel like they belong, they will naturally combine their talents and strengths to work tirelessly to face any threats or dangers outside.

Sinek provides an analogy of great leadership to that of being a parent. You want to give your children opportunities, education, and discipline them when necessary, all so that they can grow up and achieve more. Great leaders want to provide the same thing. They want to provide their people with opportunities, education, discipline them when necessary, build their self-confidence, and give them opportunities to try and fail so that they can achieve more than ever imagined. He emphasises the point that great leaders would never sacrifice the people for the numbers; they would sacrifice the numbers for the good of the people. Sinek says leadership is a choice; it is not a rank. There are many people at lower levels of organisations who are not authorities, but they are leaders because they have chosen to look after the person to the left of them, and chosen to look after the person to the right of them. According to Sinek, this is what a leader is.

Sinek states that we call them leaders because they go first. We call them leaders because they take the risk before anyone else does. We call them leaders because they will choose to sacrifice things so their people feel safe and protected, and when people do feel safe, the natural response is that they will sacrifice for us. They will give us their blood, sweat, and tears to see that their leader’s vision comes to life; and when we ask them why they would do that; their answer is simple: because they would have done it for me. Now isn’t that the organisation we would all like to work for?

To access the video of Simon Sinek’s Ted Talk, please click the following link: https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_why_good_leaders_make_you_feel_safe#t-618070