Sunday, September 2, 2012

A Volley from the Canon, Number 129--Lead from "Why"

A VOLLEY FROM THE CANON, NUMBER 129 “LEAD FROM ‘WHY’” When you get a chance, view this short You Tube presentation by Simon Sinek. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4 Sinek has something important to say about how the Church’s traditional way of leading works (though he doesn’t mention that context). He calls his image the “Golden Circle;” three concentric circles, with the outer circle labeled “What,” the center circle labeled “How,” and the inner circle labled “Why.” Sinek says that most people begin by describing “What:” the product, the activity, the end result. Then, they move to “How:” the process by which they arrive at the goal. But what really matters in decision-making, Simon maintains, is “Why:” the purpose of the whole enterprise. People are motivated by purpose, not by product or by process. (He ties “Why” to the reptilian, primitive brain. “What” is of the neo-cortex, the most verbal and intellectual part of the brain.) We do well to remember to begin with “Why.” Motivation is key to the Christian endeavor. My thanks to Allison Duvall, Executive Director of Reading Camps, for this helpful link.

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