Why good leaders make you feel safe | Simon Sinek | TED

Captain William Swenson and the Circle of Safety

In this section, Simon Sinek talks about Captain William Swenson's actions on September 8, 2009, where he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his bravery. He also discusses how trust and cooperation are important in creating a circle of safety.

The Story of Captain William Swenson

• Captain William Swenson was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his bravery on September 8, 2009.

• On that day, a column of American and Afghan troops were ambushed while protecting government officials.

• Captain Swenson ran into live fire to rescue wounded soldiers and pull out the dead.

• A medic captured the scene on camera showing Captain Swenson giving a kiss to a wounded soldier before turning around to rescue more.

Trust and Cooperation

• Trust and cooperation are important in creating a circle of safety.

• Every single one of us has the capacity to do remarkable things if we get the environment right.

• People who put themselves at risk to save others do it because they know others would have done it for them.

• Trust and cooperation are feelings that come from living together in what Simon calls a "circle of safety".

• When we feel safe amongst our own, our natural reaction is trust and cooperation.

The Modern Day Circle of Safety

In this section, Simon Sinek talks about how leadership matters in setting the tone for creating a circle of safety in modern organizations.

The World is Filled with Danger

• The world is filled with danger that can frustrate our lives or reduce our success.

• The only variable in this constant is the conditions inside the organization.

• Leadership matters because it's the leader that sets the tone for creating a circle of safety.

Treating People Like Human Beings

In this section, the speaker talks about how people should be treated with respect and dignity in organizations.

The Importance of Feeling Safe

• When people feel safe inside an organization, they will naturally combine their talents and strengths to face dangers outside and seize opportunities.

• If conditions are wrong, people are forced to expend their own time and energy to protect themselves from each other, which weakens the organization.

• Great leaders make their employees feel safe by providing them with opportunities, education, discipline when necessary, building their self-confidence, giving them the opportunity to try and fail so that they can achieve more than they could ever imagine for themselves.

Lifetime Employment

• Charlie Kim implemented a policy of lifetime employment at his company Next Jump. Employees cannot get fired for performance issues; instead, they receive coaching and support just like one would give to a child who comes home with a C from school.

• Banking CEOs who sacrifice their employees to protect their own interests violate the social contract between leaders and employees. Great leaders would never sacrifice people to save numbers; they would sooner sacrifice numbers to save people.

Heart Counts Over Head Counts

• Bob Chapman refused layoffs during the recession at Barry-Wehmiller. Instead, he implemented a furlough program where every employee was required to take four weeks of unpaid vacation. He announced it as "it's better that we should all suffer a little than any of us should have to suffer a lot," which boosted morale. They saved 20 million dollars through this program.

• When people feel safe and protected by leadership in an organization, trust and cooperation come naturally. People at Barry-Wehmiller started trading with each other, taking more or fewer weeks of unpaid vacation depending on their financial situation.

What Makes a Great Leader?

In this section, the speaker talks about what makes a great leader and how it is similar to being a great parent.

Providing Opportunities

• Great leaders want to provide their people with opportunities, education, discipline when necessary, build their self-confidence, give them the opportunity to try and fail so that they can achieve more than they could ever imagine for themselves.

• Leadership is a choice; it is not a rank. Great leaders would never sacrifice people to save numbers; they would sooner sacrifice numbers to save people.

Being Like a Parent

• The closest analogy to being a great leader is like being a parent. A great parent wants to give their child opportunities, education, discipline when necessary so that they can grow up and achieve more than the parent could for themselves.

• Bob Chapman believes in heart counts over head counts. It's much more difficult to reduce heart counts in an organization.

What is a Leader?

In this section, the speaker defines what a leader is and shares a story of Marines in theater to illustrate his point.

Definition of a Leader

• A leader is someone who looks after the person to their right and left.

• Leaders go first, take risks before anyone else does, and choose to sacrifice for their people's safety and protection.

• When leaders make sacrifices for their people, it inspires them to give their blood, sweat, and tears to see that the leader's vision comes to life.

Story of Marines in Theater

• The officer ate last as per Marine custom, letting his men eat first. When they were done eating, there was no food left for him.

• His men brought him some of their food when they went back out into the field so that he could eat because that's what happens when you have a good leader.

• People are willing to give their blood, sweat, and tears for their leaders because they know that their leaders would do the same for them.