Sebastian has been around in the Berlin Tech Scene since 2005. After studying computer sciences he worked with several famous German digital businesses from the first wave (Hypoport, Scout24) and moved on to some younger companies afterwards (Omio former GoEuro, door2door and now CrossEngage) in order to learn about earlier stage startups. After starting as an engineer he transitioned quickly into Agile and Leadership roles, serving as Scrum Master/Agile Coach, Engineering Manager, Engineering Director and VP Engineering.
My Mentoring Topics
- Agile/Lean Methodologies, (Lean) Startup, (Transformational) Leadership, Organisational Development (Structure, Process, Communication)
- Technology - Tech Strategy, MicroServices, Data Engineering
- Communication, Stakeholder Management, Change Management, Conflict Management
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Start With Why - How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action
Simon Sinek
Key Facts and Insights from "Start With Why - How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action" The Golden Circle: At the core of Sinek's theory is the three-layered model known as the Golden Circle. It encompasses 'Why', 'How', and 'What' as the fundamental aspects of any organization or individual's purpose. Importance of 'Why': Sinek emphasizes that most successful organizations and leaders start by defining 'Why' they do what they do, not just 'What' they do or 'How' they do it. Leadership and Inspiration: The book underscores that successful leaders inspire action in their followers by articulating a clear 'Why' and aligning it with the beliefs of their followers. Manipulation vs Inspiration: Sinek distinguishes between manipulation (using external factors to drive behavior, like price, fear, etc.) and inspiration (motivating through a deep-rooted sense of belief or purpose). Clarity of Purpose: Clarity of 'Why' is crucial for any organization or leader to succeed and inspire others. This clarity is often missing in companies that struggle. 'Why' and Trust: When organizations and leaders communicate their 'Why', it helps build trust and loyalty among their employees or followers. The Role of Innovation: Sinek posits that innovation is born from a strong 'Why'. It's not just about doing things better, but doing them for a better reason. 'Why' and Culture: A clear 'Why' helps create a strong culture where employees feel they are contributing to something bigger than themselves. Companies as a Reflection of Leaders: Companies often reflect the persona of their leaders, especially their 'Why'. This is why it's crucial for leaders to have a clear sense of their own 'Why'. Consistency of 'Why': The 'Why' should remain consistent even as the 'What' and 'How' might evolve over time. Detailed Analysis and Summary of "Start With Why - How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action" Simon Sinek's "Start With Why" presents a transformative perspective on leadership and organizational success. At the heart of his argument is the Golden Circle, a model composed of three fundamental elements: Why, How, and What. These elements, Sinek asserts, form the basis of any individual's or organization's purpose. However, he emphasizes on the importance of starting with 'Why'. Why is the purpose, cause or belief that drives every one of us. Many organizations can clearly articulate 'What' they do and 'How' they do it, but the 'Why' often remains elusive. Sinek argues that this is where many organizations falter. Drawing parallels with biological concepts, he positions 'Why' as the limbic brain (responsible for feelings, such as trust and loyalty) and 'What' and 'How' as the neocortex (responsible for rational thought and language). When it comes to leadership, the book posits that great leaders are those who inspire action by articulating a clear 'Why'. Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and companies like Apple are successful not because of what they do, but because of why they do it. They start with 'Why' and then move outwards to 'How' and 'What'. This approach resonates with people's beliefs, thereby inspiring them to act. Sinek distinguishes between manipulation and inspiration. While manipulation involves driving behavior through external factors such as price, promotions, fear, or peer pressure, inspiration comes from a deep-rooted sense of belief or purpose. He asserts that manipulation can lead to transactions, but only inspiration can foster loyalty. The book also stresses the importance of a clear 'Why' in building trust and loyalty. When organizations and leaders communicate their 'Why', it resonates with their employees or followers on an emotional level, leading to increased trust and loyalty. Innovation, according to Sinek, is a byproduct of a strong 'Why'. It is not merely about doing things better, but about doing them for a better reason. This perspective aligns with the theory of innovation diffusion by Everett Rogers, who highlighted that people adopt new ideas or products not because of their advantages, but because they align with their beliefs. Sinek also discusses the role of 'Why' in creating a strong culture. A clear 'Why' provides employees with a sense of purpose, making them feel they are part of something bigger than themselves. This is reflected in the principle of 'Cultural Fit', which suggests that employees perform better when their personal values align with the organization's values. The book further suggests that companies often mirror the 'Why' of their leaders. This is why it is crucial for leaders to have a clear sense of their own 'Why'. Finally, Sinek emphasizes that while 'What' and 'How' may change over time, the 'Why' should remain consistent. This consistency of 'Why' is essential for maintaining the trust and loyalty of employees and customers. In conclusion, "Start With Why" offers profound insights into how great leaders inspire action. It makes a compelling case for starting with 'Why', thereby transforming the way we understand leadership and organizational success. Sinek's philosophies, when applied, can indeed lead to more inspired employees, loyal customers, and successful organizations.
ViewThinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman
Key Insights from 'Thinking, Fast and Slow' Cognitive Ease: The human brain tends to choose the path of least resistance when processing information. System 1 and System 2: Two distinct systems govern our thought processes. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional, while System 2 is slow, deliberate, and logical. Heuristics and Biases: Our brains use mental shortcuts or 'heuristics' to make quick decisions, which can often lead to biases in our thinking. Prospect Theory: People tend to make decisions based on potential losses and gains, not final outcomes. Anchoring Effect: The first piece of information we receive about a subject heavily influences our perception of subsequent information. Availability Heuristic: We tend to judge the probability of events by how easily examples come to mind. Endowment Effect: We value things more when we own them. Hindsight Bias: Our tendency to see events as more predictable than they really are after they have happened. Framing Effect: The way information is presented can drastically affect how we perceive it and make decisions. The Halo Effect: Our overall impression of a person influences how we feel and think about their character. Deeper Analysis of the Book's Concepts 'Thinking, Fast and Slow', a seminal work by Daniel Kahneman, delves into the two systems that drive the way we think—System 1, which is fast and intuitive, and System 2, slow and deliberate. This dual-process theory of cognition is not new, but Kahneman's exploration of how these systems interact, often leading to cognitive biases, is groundbreaking. System 1 operates automatically and quickly, with little or no effort and no sense of voluntary control. It's the part of our brain that responds to a surprising sound in the darkness or decides to swerve to avoid an accident. This system is heavily influenced by our past experiences and emotions, making its responses feel intuitive and automatic. In contrast, System 2 allocates attention to the effortful mental activities that demand it, including complex computations and conscious decision-making. This system is slower and more deliberate, often stepping in to verify and modify the impressions and intuitions from System 1. However, System 2 is lazy and often defaults to the easier, automatic responses of System 1. This is where cognitive biases come in. Heuristics and biases are mental shortcuts that System 1 uses to make quick decisions. While these shortcuts can often be useful, they can also lead to systematic errors in our thinking. For example, the availability heuristic might lead us to overestimate the likelihood of dramatic events (like plane crashes) because they are more memorable and thus more easily available to our minds. Prospect theory, introduced by Kahneman and his colleague Amos Tversky, challenges traditional economic theory, which assumes that humans are rational actors. Instead, prospect theory suggests that people make decisions based on potential gains and losses, not the final outcome. This can lead to seemingly irrational decisions, such as refusing to take a small loss to potentially gain more in the long run. The anchoring effect describes our tendency to rely heavily on the first piece of information we receive (the "anchor") when making decisions. Even when the anchor is arbitrary or irrelevant, it can dramatically influence our judgments and estimates. Similarly, the framing effect reveals that the way information is presented can drastically affect our decisions. For example, people are more likely to opt for a surgical procedure if it’s presented with a 90% survival rate than a 10% mortality rate, even though both statistics convey the same information. In conclusion, 'Thinking, Fast and Slow' highlights how our thought processes—though powerful—are not always as rational, objective, or logical as we might believe. By understanding these biases, we can take steps to mitigate them and make better, more informed decisions.
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