ReadWrite Web had a post entitled "10 Inspiring TED Talks for Startups" on July 13, 2010. This series of posts are my notes from those videos.

Simon Sinek
September 2009
(18 min, 5 secs)

Why are some companies so more innovative than others? Why did certain historical figures achieve items and others did not?

Golden Circle
Inner – why (why do something, why something exists)
Middle – how (some know how they do it…)
Outer – what (everyone knows what they do…)

Inspired people and organizations work from the inside out.

These rings actually map with areas of our brain and how we think and feel.

If your staff believes in the dream they will work with their heads and hearts. Otherwise, they will only work for a paycheck. People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.

Law of Diffusion Innovation
2.5% – Innovators
13.5% – Early Adopters
34% – Early Majority
34% – Late Majority
16% – Laggards

Need to achieve 15% mind share before tipping to success. (Crossing the Chasm)

Example of Failure: Tivo – technology advanced, well funded, name is a verb, commercial failure. They told us what they had only vs. why they have it.

Example of Success: Dr. King’s March on Washington. How was is coordinated? People took what he believed and told others to all show up. Why did they do it? For what they believe – not just to hear Dr. King speak.

View at http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action.html