Start With Why

generally do not want to be out front preaching the vision; they prefer to work behind the scenes to build the systems that can make the vision a reality. It takes the combined skill and effort of both for great things to happen.
    It’s not an accident that these unions of WHY and HOW so often come from families or old friendships. A shared upbringing and life experience increases the probability of a shared set of values and beliefs. In the case of family or childhood friends, upbringing and common experiences are nearly exactly the same. That’s not to say you can’t find a good partner somewhere else. It’s just that growing up with somebody and having a common life experience increases the likelihood of a shared common worldview.
    Walt Disney and Roy Disney were brothers. Bill Gates and Paul Allen went to high school together in Seattle. Herb Kelleher was Rollin King’s divorce attorney and old friend. Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph Abernathy both preached in Birmingham, long before the civil rights movement took form. And Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were best friends in high school. The list goes on.

To Run or To Lead
    For all the talented HOW-types running today’s organizations, they can achieve success that will last their lifetimes, but they will spend their lifetimes running their companies. There are many ways to be successful and drive profits. Any number of manipulations, only some of which I’ve touched upon in this book, work quite well. Even the ability to create a tipping point is possible without creating lasting change. It’s called a fad. But great organizations function exactly like any social movement. They inspire people to talk about a product or idea, include that product in the context of their lifestyle, share the idea or even find ways to advance the prosperity of the organization itself. Great organizations not only excite the human spirit, they inspire people to take part in helping to advance the cause without needing to pay them or incentivize them in any particular way. No cash-back incentives or mail-in rebates required. People feel compelled to spread the word, not because they have to, but because they want to. They willingly take up arms to share the message that inspires them.

Build a Megaphone That Works
    After a three-month selection process, BCI finally chose a new ad agency to help develop a campaign to launch their new product line. Big Company Incorporated is a well-known brand operating in a fairly cluttered market space. As a manufacturer, their products are sold via a third-party sales force, often on the shelves of big-box retailers, so they don’t have direct control over the sales process. The best they can do is to try to influence the sale from a distance—with marketing. BCI is a good company with a strong culture. The employees respect the management, and in general the company does good work. But over the years the competition has grown fairly stiff. And although BCI has a good product and competitive pricing, it is still tough to maintain strong growth year over year. This year, BCI management is particularly excited because the company is launching a new product they really think will make BCI stand out. To help promote it, BCI’s agency has launched a major new ad campaign.
    “From the leading maker,” says the new ad, “comes the newest, most innovative product you’ve ever seen.” The ad goes on to talk about all the new features and benefits, and includes something about the “quality you’ve come to expect from BCI,” something the BCI executives felt quite strongly about including. BCI executives have worked hard to build their company’s reputation and they want to leverage it. They are very excited about their new campaign and are really banking on the success of this product to help drive sales in general. They know they do good work, and they want to get the message out. They need it to be loud. And with a budget of millions of dollars to advertise their new product, in that respect, BCI succeeds.
    But there is a problem.
    BCI and their agency did a good job of telling people about their new product. The work was quite creative. They were able to explain what was new and special about their latest innovation, and focus groups agreed that the new product was much better than that of the competition. The millions of dollars in media ensured that lots of people would see their advertising and see it often. Their reach and