It seems obvious, but if you ask the right questions you are more likely to get the right answers. This applies as much to business, as it does digital projects and life in general. The questions you ask ultimately define your actions and the outcome.

A few years ago I came across a speech on TED by Simon Sinek entitled ‘How great leaders inspire action’. It’s been viewed over 14 million times. In it he says that people and organisations who define themselves by ‘why’ they do things, rather than ‘what’ they are, become more successful, and at very least more inspiring.

Picture two tech companies – one says we make great apps and we’ve designed a time management application, want to buy one? – not very inspiring. The other says we are in business to put you in control of your life, we just happen to have made a fantastic time management app that does just that, wanna buy one? I know who’d I’d rather buy from.

Think about Apple, they don’t define themselves by what they are, otherwise they might have to say we are a computer company, and then they might never have invented the iphone or itunes.

When we start a project we always ask why? – why is your business in business? – why are you doing this project? This opens up much deeper thinking, and far greater possibilities. We love working with businesses who genuinely ask themselves why? Imagine if more financial services firms thought this way – if their ‘why?’ was ‘making you wealthier’, or ‘making you more secure’, or ‘making it easier for you to do stuff’ – think how this type of thinking would impact the services and products offered. They’d soon see customers inspired and engaged in what they do.

Here are the links to Simon Sinek’s TED talk and his book on Amazon – enjoy