Simon Sinek on Inspiring Others to Be Happier and More Optimistic

In Chapter 3 of 16 in his 2009 Capture Your Flag interview, author and public speaker Simon Sinek elaborates on his stated goal to "inspire people to do the things that inspire them." Underlying "Start With Why" author Sinek's perspective is an immense amount of positive energy geared to make people happier and more optimistic. Further, he discusses how reaching individuals' within their company environment and changing company culture for the better can make a difference. Simon Sinek teaches leaders and organizations how to inspire people. Sinek is the author of two books, "Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Come Together and Others Don't" and "Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action". He is a public speaker, an adjunct professor at Columbia University and a Brandeis University graduate.

Transcript

Erik Michielsen: Your stated goal is to Inspire People to Do the Things that Inspire Them.  Can you elaborate on that?

Simon Sinek: Absolutely.  It is the reason I wake up every day.  I'm a firm believer that if every single one of us worked on the things inspired us, if the hobbies were the things that inspired us, it makes us happier people.  If everyone did that, imagine what a great world we would live in.  When statistics are explained about unemployment for example.  We know that American unemployment is up to 9%. The way I look at that, it means that 91% of people still have a job. I see the world, with 91% people that still have a job, if you want to inspire people, get to them at their jobs.  The more companies that create cultures that inspire people to come to work.  Those people come to work happier, they come to work are more inspired, they do better work, they are more productive, they go home happier, they have happier families.  It is the way I see the world working one day, I hope.