Summary of Most Leaders Don't Even Know the Game They're In | Simon Sinek

00:00:00 - 00:35:00

In this talk, Simon Sinek argues that most leaders are not aware of the game they're playing, and that they need to adopt a "start with the end in mind" mentality in order to be successful. He suggests that this will help them figure out the steps necessary to achieve their goals, and frustrate their competition.

• 00:00:00 Simon Sinek argues that leaders need empathy and perspective in order to effectively take care of those in their charge. He provides a story of how he stayed at a Four Seasons in Las Vegas and how the customer service was exemplary.
• 00:05:00 Simon Sinek argues that leaders don't understand the game they're playing, and that this is a problem that results in poor performance. He suggests that empathy is key to solving this problem, and offers four ways to practice it. He also discusses the issue of Millennials, and how their upbringing has led to them being over-confident and unambitious.
• 00:10:00 Simon Sinek argues that the way we view ourselves and our place in the world has changed drastically in recent decades, due in part to the rise of social media and cell phones. He suggests that this change has led to a generation of young adults with low self-esteem, as they no longer know how to cope with stress and adversity in healthy ways.
• 00:15:00 The speaker points out that many leaders, including themselves, don't even know the game they are playing. They are holding a device that is not providing them with the same level of comfort that it once did, distracting them from the people around them. The speaker also points out that impatience is a common trait among this generation and that relationships and careers are not as simple as they seem.
• 00:20:00 Simon Sinek argues that most leaders don't even know what they're doing, and that the current work world is not conducive to success. He suggests that companies move away from shareholder supremacy, mass layoffs, and a focus on maximizing profits, and instead focus on creating a culture of trust, cooperation, and innovation.
• 00:25:00 Simon Sinek discusses how leaders often don't know the game they're in, and how empathy and perspective are important in order to change the way we see the world. He makes the point that businesses have always existed, and that there is no "winning" in an infinite game. Problems arise when we try to play a finite game as leaders, as this can lead to situations such as in Vietnam and the Soviet Union.
• 00:30:00 At the Leadership Summit for Microsoft, Simon Sinek spoke about how public companies are looking to succeed for the quarter, not for the long term. He also spoke about how most leaders don't even know the game they're in, and how to be a great leader, change your perspective and play the game you're in. The main takeaway from this talk is that leaders need to be focused on the long term, and not just focused on the short term. If leaders are focused on the long term, they will be able to frustrate their competition and keep them from becoming a dominant player in their industry.
• 00:35:00 Simon Sinek argues that most leaders, including CEOs and politicians, are not even aware of the game they're playing. He suggests that they should adopt a "start with the end in mind" mentality, and work backwards from their goals to figure out the steps necessary to get there.