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StrategyWhy, How, What

Why does your organisation exist?

Customers and employees do not choose you only for what you do, but for why you do it. The Next Organization makes that 'why' explicit and translates it into how you work and what you deliver.

Sound familiar?

Your story is all about your products and services
Customers struggle to tell you apart from the competition
Ask five colleagues what you stand for and you get five different answers
After a merger, each brand is still telling its own story
Your core statement sounds good, but does not guide a single decision
Talented people choose employers with a more compelling story

What is the Golden Circle?

The Golden Circle consists of three circles, with the Why at the centre. Simon Sinek described the model in his book Start with Why. His point is that inspiring organisations think, act and communicate from the inside out, while most organisations do the opposite.

The three layers of the Golden Circle

Why

The question

Why do we exist?

What it gives you

A short tagline that acts as your compass, with a story around it

How

The question

How do we stand out?

What it gives you

A few principles that together focus on one value discipline

What

The question

What do we do?

What it gives you

Activities for each principle that prove what you say

Profit is never the Why, but the result of a good one. For the How, you choose one of Treacy and Wiersema's three value disciplines: the one where you want to excel.

Together with your core values, the Golden Circle describes who you are. Your vision, mission and ambition describe where you are going.

What you get

You get a Why that acts as your compass, distinctive principles and the activities that follow from them. That gives you a foundation for your brand, your recruitment and your strategic choices. And new employees understand sooner what your organisation is about.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a Why and a mission?

The Why is your driving force, the reason your organisation exists. The mission is your role: what you do, for whom and what makes you different. The Why stays the same, while the mission moves with the market.

How do you make the Why tangible in day-to-day work?

Each principle in the How gets a few activities that employees recognise. You use them in recruitment, onboarding and performance reviews. A Why that never shows up in behaviour is just a slogan.

How do you find your organisation's Why?

Look back at how your organisation started and at the moments you are proud of. Ask customers and employees why they choose you. The pattern that keeps coming back in those stories is the basis for your Why.

Does the Golden Circle also work for a partnership?

Yes. The partners then write a Why together, and for each partner what they contribute to the How and the What. That shows whether the parties complement or overlap each other.