TED Talk - Simon Sinek: Why good leaders give confidence
VIDEOS
"Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe" is a TED Talk by Simon Sinek, a leadership expert and author. In this talk, Sinek discusses the importance of leadership and how it can create a sense of safety and trust within an organization. He argues that good leaders can create a safe environment where people feel comfortable taking risks and being themselves, which ultimately leads to higher levels of performance and innovation.
Confidence is the key factor that separates a leader from a boss, and confidence comes at the cost of other factors. When leading a group, either a big international company or a school work group the participant and members of the group will naturally seek each other to find someone to lead the way, but to make them see you as the appropriate candidate to assume that role you will need to generate a strong bond between each individual to generate a strong cooperative environment. These bonds are primarily based on confidence, people will never give their confidence to someone whose attitudes and behavior reflect disorder or pressure for results. People look for someone who can understand them and help them to grow. In the video, Simon Sinek presents the example of Captain William Swenson who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his brave actions during an ambush in Afghanistan where he rescued numerous wounded soldiers. During this event Captain Swenson ran into live fire to rescue the wounded and pull out the dead during the ambush, when he pulled out one of the wounded from the horrifying scene, he kissed him before sending himself into the flames once again to try and rescue more of his companions. When asked why he risked his life in that way, his answer was “Because they would have done it for me”. The act of kissing the wounded may seem out of place, but the action wasn't what mattered, what mattered was the effect it caused in the wounded, the tranquility and peace that generated in the horrified soldiers, that was a leadership act. The confidence that Captain Swenson reflected in his companions made him stand out as a natural leader, people who are willing to sacrifice themselves so that others may gain or succeed, are leaders.
Trust must be gained, and gaining it is a challenging task. Trust is not a tool that comes with instructions, it is a feeling, and like all feelings, it is complex and is surrounded by multiple phases that you as a leader will need to understand. A way of gaining the trust of others is seeing them as what they are, humans just like you. It does not matter your wealth, religion, political opinion, or sexuality, we are all humans and the people should see you as human, not as an authority figure. Listen to them, listen to their opinions, their doubts, and their concerns and it will generate a huge change in the way they see you since they will establish a connection with you and follow you instead of obeying you. Remember, people obey a boss, but they follow a leader.
An environment is fundamental for the success of a group since it can directly influence the productivity of the members. The correct environment can make every single person possess the capacity to do remarkable things, but if the environment is not the appropriate one, the productivity and the possibility of doing something great decrease to zero in no time.
The critical role of a leader revolves around aspects like trust, cooperation, and productivity within organizations. Sinek's emphasis on building trust through empathy and active listening reminds us that true leadership is about recognizing the humanity in each individual and creating environments where everyone feels valued and heard. Ultimately, effective leadership isn't just about wielding authority; it's about cultivating an atmosphere of safety and respect that empowers individuals to unleash their full potential and achieve extraordinary results together.
Video clips
”This is an extreme example of course. Still, he makes the point that there are always threats in the environment, and a good organizational leader creates a culture of trust and cooperation, operating out of loyalty and love for others. ”
- Rob Balmer
”All organizations start with “Why”, but only the great ones keep their “Why” clear year after year. Those who forget “Why” they were founded show up to the race every day to outdo someone else instead of outdoing themselves. You are your best competition.”
- Tejas Kinger
Video Reviews and Ratings
”Sinek’s TED Talk’s profound impact on our culture remains apparent over ten years later. With the popularity of Sinek’s talk, people have subscribed to the idea of shifting the focus from what a company does to why it does it. Starting with the “why” has become a common theme in business and leadership discussions.”
- Anthony Pham
"Sinek argues that when employees feel protected by their leaders, their natural reaction is to trust and cooperate, which ultimately improves performance. He adds that 'Great leaders would never sacrifice people to save the numbers; they would sooner sacrifice the numbers to save the people.'"
- Stuart Hearn
