I was recently reminded of one of the most powerful leadership principles ever encountered: “If you have a big enough why, the how becomes easy.”
Most leaders, organizations, and people focus on the “how.” Take a look at the titles and focus of millions of books, articles, and blogs. Take a look at the titles and focus of thousands of presentations, videos, training programs, seminars, and conferences. “How to do this.” “How to do that.”
“How to” consistently dominates content development as well as personal, professional, and organizational development.
Interest in “how to” is natural and good. Driven, energetic, eager, and curious people will always seek and be attracted to “how to.” They want to learn, they want to improve, they want to achieve greater proficiency and success in the areas in which they have interest and passion.
However, the overwhelming truth is: “If you have a big enough why, the how becomes easy.” This is true in every area of our lives. A clearly articulated, understood, and passionate “why” will trump “how to” every time. The underlying and foundational “why” is far more forceful, far more powerful, and far more enduring than the “how.”
A leader, team, or organization truly inspired, passionate, and crystal clear about “why” will consistently blow by, surpass, and accomplish far more than a leader, team, or organization focused only on “how.”
As a leader, where is your priceless time and energy invested? Are you mainly focused on leading, teaching, coaching, and evaluating at the level of “how?” Or are you mainly focused on the far more important, impactful, and enduring level of “why?”
Attract, inspire, and lead people who become passionate and fully committed to the “why.” The “how” will then be far easier and pretty much take care of itself.
