I have learned a secret to getting better results as a leader. It’s huge. Simply “share the why”.
When I interviewed Zig Ziglar years ago, he repeated this principle to me over and over during our conversation. It’s paramount to getting buy-in from people and helping them feel a part of a team, project, or organization.
- When you are leading people
- When you are introducing change
- When you want people to follow
- When you want people to own the vision
- When you want to build or maintain momentum
- When you are experiencing growth
- When you are experiencing decline
Don’t bother with the what. It simply doesn’t matter much. No one cares.
Unless you share the why.
People won’t hear the what as well unless they know the why.
In fact, when you share the what without sharing the why:
- There will be unnecessary resistance
- People have separate agendas
- Misunderstandings become common
- The vision is clouded
- Motivation is absent
- The leader stands alone
- Progress stalls
Paint the why – as you share the what.
It makes all the difference.
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