Synopsis:
Connecting science and practice, Simon Sinek in “Leaders Eat Last” demonstrates how to be a successful leader. According to Sinek, companies and organizations are modern tribes. He provides various examples of organizations that have changed and those that have shown different approaches to change the environment or set the environment. Simon Sinek argued that people need to trust and feel safe within their organization. Through safety, people come together and enjoy their environment. The environment, the culture, the person in charge (the leader) create a place where people want to go and work, where people want to be part of an organization.
He compares our current lives to that of prehistoric lives. He argued that we still thrive off of similar feelings of danger and safety but within the corporate world. He referred to leadership as The awesome responsibility and argued that being a leader is like being a parent. People look for leaders that will care for them like they are their own. It is not the genius at the top that makes people look great. It is great people that make the guy at the top look like a genius.
Just My Thoughts:
I’m not sure my synopsis gives this book the justice it deserves. I read and listened to this book several times. I also watched Simon Sinek’s TedTalk. In my personal opinion, Simon Sinek captures much of what leaders need to know. Or, in many cases, should already know. However, he took a slightly different approach that I have not encountered. He compares our prehistoric roots to that of today’s society. It makes a lot of sense.
To a degree, he advocates for servant leadership. Although I’m not sure, he discusses this leadership theory, perhaps because the theory itself narrows the focus (much like other theories, in my opinion). However, the point he makes is that a leader is in servant mode for their people. Leadership is about people, but not the individual within the leadership role, but those that the leader is responsible for caring about.
If you have not read “Leaders Eat Last,” I highly encourage you to take the time to read the book. Even if you do not think of yourself as a leader (you may be surprised how every person has or can be a leader), you should read it. It will open your eyes to some of the feelings and emotions you may have had to look at those who led you. It makes sense. He makes sense.