Start with Why
by Simon Sinek
★ Top 25 book of 2011 · #11 on Best Books of 2011
Simon Sinek argues that the most successful leaders and organizations share one habit: they begin by clarifying why they do what they do. He shows how that purpose can strengthen culture, hiring, products, sales, and marketing.
Best for: Leaders and teams wanting to clarify purpose and inspire others
Start with Why is #11 on BookWard's Best Books of 2011, out of 53 2011 books that cleared our data bar.
What Start with Why is about
Why do some leaders and companies win loyal followers while others only win a sale? Simon Sinek sets out two ways of moving people: pushing them with tricks and incentives, or inspiring them. He argues that inspiration lasts longer and works better. Most organizations can say what they make, and some can explain how they do it, but very few can say why they exist at all. According to Sinek, the leaders people follow tend to start from that last question and work outward, the reverse of the usual habit.
He draws on figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy and Steve Jobs, along with the early aviation pioneers and the founders of Southwest Airlines. He then turns the idea into practical advice on company culture, hiring, product development, sales and marketing. Written in an easy, encouraging voice, it will help managers, founders, marketers and anyone trying to find a clearer sense of purpose in their work.
Start with Why on the Best Books of 2011
Start with Why came out in 2011. Of the 53 books first published in 2011 that met BookWard's data bar, it ranks #11 on our Best Books of 2011 list.
Why it made the list: 1,290 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.1 out of 5 (52 ratings); 53 are reading it right now. The list ranks each year’s books on how many readers have picked them up, how highly readers rate them, and how many are reading them right now.
Nearby on the 2011 list
- We'll Always Have Summer Jenny Han, #9
- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Ransom Riggs, #10
- Outwitting the Devil Napoleon Hill, #12
- The Lean Startup Eric Ries, #13
See all Best Books of 2011 Best books by year
More years: Best Books of 2010 Best Books of 2012.
The numbers behind it
- Readers: 1,168 want to read it, 53 are reading it now and 68 have read it, according to Open Library.
- Ratings: 4.1 out of 5 from 52 Open Library ratings.
| Signal | This book (0 to 100) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 81 | 55% |
| Reader love | 51 | 25% |
| Being read right now | 79 | 20% |
Questions about Start with Why
When was Start with Why published?
Start with Why by Simon Sinek was first published in 2011.
Was Start with Why one of the best books of 2011?
Start with Why is #11 on BookWard's Best Books of 2011, out of 53 2011 books that cleared our data bar. 1,290 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.1 out of 5 (52 ratings); 53 are reading it right now.
Why is Start with Why on the Best Books of 2011 list?
1,290 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.1 out of 5 (52 ratings); 53 are reading it right now.
More of the best books of 2011
- Sapiens Yuval Noah Harari, #1
- The Song of Achilles Madeline Miller, #2
- Thinking, Fast and Slow Daniel Kahneman, #3
- Steve Jobs Walter Isaacson, #4
- The Son of Neptune Rick Riordan, #5
- The Mark of Athena Rick Riordan, #6
See the full Best Books of 2011, the Top 100, or new books on Rising.
How we know
This page uses public data: Open Library reader counts and ratings, and Wikipedia page views for recent years. The description is paraphrased from real source text. Rankings reflect reading interest, not quality or sales, and can be affected by data gaps. Lists update monthly.
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