Start With Why

partnership looks and feels like. And to those whose shared what 
they know to help bring the WHY to life, I am truly grateful for 
your time and energy: Colleen Barrett, Gordon Bethune, Ben 
Comen, Randy Fowler, Christina Harbridge, Dwayne Honor6, 
Howard Jeruchimowitz, Guy Kawasaki, Howard Putnam, James 
Tobin, Acacia Salatti, Jeff Sumpter, Col. "Cruiser" Wilsbach and 
Steve Wozniak.
Long before there was even an idea of a book, there were all the 
people and early adopters who wanted to learn about the WHY and 
use The Golden Circle to help build their organizations. This 
forward-thinking group were willing to embrace a new idea and 
were essential to helping me figure out many of the details and 
nuances of the concept. Thank you to Geoffrey Dzikowski, Jenn 
Podmore, Paul Guy, Kal Shah, Victor DeOliveria, Ben Rosner, 
Christopher Bates, Victor Chan, Ken Tabachnick, Richard Baltimore, 
Rick Zimmerman, Russ Natoce, Missy Shorey, Morris Stemp, Gabe 
Solomon, Eddie Esses and Elizabeth Hare, who saw the value of the 
WHY in building the most valuable organization of all— her family. 
Thank you to Fran Biderman-Gross, who is not only an early 
adopter, but who went out of her way to embrace her WHY in all 
aspects of her life and to encourage others to learn their WHY, too. 
Thank you to Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, 
Congressman Paul Hodes, and Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz, 

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Acknowledgments 
253 
who gave me so much and continue to give back to others with such 
passion.
Over the years there were those who gave me a break and helped 
advance my cause. Thank you to Trudi Baldwin, the director of the 
Graduate Program in Strategic Communications at Columbia 
University (a wonderful program), Jim Berrien, who trusted me, the 
indefatigable Jack Daly, who teaches me, Piers Fawkes, Denis 
Glennon, who pushed me, Kevin Goetz, Tony Gomes, Paul 
Gumbinner, who gave me a career on a silver platter, Kenneth Hein, 
Peter Intermaggio, who taught me self-reliance, Pamela Moffat, Rick 
Sapio, who keeps doing good things for me, Alana Winter and Matt 
Weiss, for asking me to share my thoughts with an audience, and 
Diederik Werdmolder who took a bet on me right at the start.
I am grateful to all the brilliant minds I have met within the U.S. 
Air Force who stuck their necks out to try something different. They 
embody the WHY of the USAF: to find and deliver better ways of 
doing things. To Maj. Gen. Erwin Lessel (who first introduced me to 
the organization), Maj. Gen. William Chambers, Brig. Gen. Walter 
Givhan, Brig. Gen. Dash Jamieson (who never stops believing), Maj. 
Gen. Darren McDew, Brig. Gen. (Sel) Martin Neubauer (who knows 
more than I will ever know), Christy Nolta, Brig. Gen. Janet 
Therianos and Lt. Col. Dede Halfhill (you owe me one, DeDe).
I am immensely grateful to all the brilliant people and candid 
conversations that inspired so many of the ideas that became The 
Golden Circle and all its parts. Thank you to Kendra Coppey, who 
helped me out of the hole in late 2005 and to Mark Levy, who 
pointed me in the right direction. Thanks to Peter Whybrow, who 
saw a problem in America and helped me to understand the 
neuroscience of it all. Kirt Gunn, whose brilliant storytelling mind 
inspired the split. Every conversation with Brian Collins 
illuminated something new. Thank you to Jorelle Laakso, who 
taught me to reach for the things I believe in. To William Ury, who 

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Acknowledgments 
254 
showed me a path to follow, and Lt. Gen. David Deptula, who is 
probably the smartest person I know and gave me a new 
perspective for solving highly complex problems.
My understanding of the WHY would be incomplete without 
the conversations, help and support of Nic Askew, Richard 
Baltimore, Christopher Bennett, Christine Betts, Ariane de 
Bonvoisin, Scott Bornstein, Tony Conza, Vimal Duggal, Douglas 
Fiersetin, Nathan Frankel, JiNan Glasgow, Cameron Herold, John 
Hittler, Maurice Kaspy, Peter Laughter, Kevin Langley, Niki 
Lemon, Seth Lloyd, Bruce Lowe, Cory Luker, Karl and Agi Mallory, 
Peter Martins, Brad Melt- zer, Nell Merlino, Ally Miller, Jeff 
Morgan, Alan Remer, Pamela and Nick Roditi, Ellen Rohr, Lance 
Piatt, Jeff Rothstein, Brian Scudamore, Andy Siegel, John Stepleton, 
Rudy Vidal, the 2007 and 2008 classes of the Gathering of Titans, 
and the one and only Ball of Mystery.
To my late grandfather, Imre Klaber, who showed me that it is 
more fun to be slightly eccentric than to be completely normal. To 
my parents, Steve and Susan Sinek, who always encouraged me to 
follow the beat of my own drum. And to Sara, my remarkable, 
remarkable sister, who appreciates that I keep my head in the 
clouds but makes sure I keep my feet on the ground.
There are a few books and authors that have, over the years, 
inspired me, spurred ideas and offered me new perspectives: the 
works of Ken Blanchard, of Tom Friedman and of Seth Godin,