“Before we can stand out, we must first get clear on what we stand for.”
Scouts come together weekly to discover personal and professional development during the Seventh Scout Book Club. In August 2021, Scouts chose to explore purpose through “Find Your Why” by Simon Sinek.
Simon Sinek’s 2009 TED Talk “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” remains one of the most TED Talks Ever, with over 68.5 million viewers of the original video. In 2011, Sinek wrote a series of books that breaks down his talk on leadership into a self-discovery process for individuals and organizations.
“If we expect people to live the core values of an organization, we have to be able to tell them what those values look like in action.”
As explored in Sinek’s TedTalk video above, every company and every professional’s career operates on different levels: What we do, how we do it, and Why we do it. The ‘Golden Circle’ Sinek describes follows brain function. The deeper into the circle you dive, the more you investigate behavior and decision making or Why actions are taken.
In “Find Your Why,” Sinek explains that each person and company’s purpose relates to this circle. Discovering this purpose begins by exploring life experiences when growth or transformation occurred and recognizing behavioral patterns.
“When we align emotionally with our customers and clients, our connection is much stronger and more meaningful than any affiliation based on features and benefits. That’s what starting with WHY is all about.”
Exploring Our Group Why
“The Seventh Scout motto is “Be Nice. Make Better.” It is clean. It is simple. But it is not necessarily clear. The benefit of going through the Why process as a company was validating our motto and giving more context to what that phrase means to our clients and us.“ – Lynn Yeldell
For the Seventh Scout team, the “Find Your Why” process began on an individual level before exploring the company’s Why.
Even on an individual level, the entire “Find Your Why” process is a group activity. Listening to and discussing the personal stories of your fellow team members was a compelling experience.
“The vulnerability and trust that existed during those moments had an almost sacred aura about them, which was something I hadn’t expected, and I know going through the process as a company has given me a better understanding of, and a deeper connection to, the other members of the team.” -Eve Molnar
Seventh Scout Why
To personally connect with our clients and their businesses so that we can elevate and transform.
Discovering the Seventh Scout Why provides validation and purpose for team members. It allows each Scout to define the role they play in the company’s purpose. Learning our team Why also validates daily tasks of what we do to elevate our clients’ brand voices.
“I think when you get to know our team on a deeper level, you understand the work we do and why we want to do it. You understand our team on a personal level and see how our passions fit into the work we achieve for our clients.” -Emily Dennis
Scout’s Why Discovery
“Fulfillment is a right and not a privilege. Every single one of us is entitled to feel fulfilled by the work we do, to wake up feeling inspired to go to work, to feel safe when we’re there and to return home with a sense that we contributed to something larger than ourselves. Fulfillment is not a lottery. It is not a feeling reserved for a lucky few who get to say, “I love what I do.”
Sometimes a person needs to say something out loud or write it down for it to stick or be actionable. The self-discovery process for each Scout’s Why left power to the wielder.
Self-reflection, discovery, and evolution are constant. Linking this personal and professional growth pathway to one’s motives can be powerful in the past, present, and future lenses.
As business continues, individual Why statements give a pathway to lean on. Scout’s found their individual Why statements connected with the organization’s Why and each others’ Why.
Eve Molnar’s Why
To leverage my instincts and experience so that I can lead others to find their authentic path.
I really like the ways that my personal Why Statement and Seventh Scout’s Why Statment fit together. I feel like there’s some natural overlap between the two, but ultimately I think the two statements are additive and/or complementary. I think that’s true for each of our team’s individual Why Statements. I can see a clear imprint of our individual’s Why’s on the collective agency Why.
I tend to not really focus on or consider aspects of Why or purpose in the day-to-day. Slowing down, and focusing on this individually–and as a company–was definitely beneficial. As an individual, it brought me clarity about the ways I impact others. As a company, it helped me understand the individuals on the team more deeply, and it uncovered the ways our individual Why Statements impact our company Why.
In our society at large, and certainly in the work environment, in particular, we tend to focus so much on results that we overlook process, approach, and impact. I care about my Why Statement, the Why Statements of the team, and the Seventh Scout Why Statement because they cut through the preoccupation with results and convey essential truths of purpose. I think that’s very powerful and important.
Emily Dennis's Why
To live my truth so that I can guide others on their journey to finding their own truth.
Being in your twenties is already such a complex time in life, a time where I feel most of us are trying to find our truer purpose in life, so being able to reflect on who I am now and different challenges and achievements in my life allowed me to connect with myself on a deeper level.
In my role with Seventh Scout, I help brands elevate their voice to the next level and connect with their audiences. The initial step in doing this is getting to know the brand on a deeper level – knowing what drives their company’s purpose, what makes their employees excited about the work, and what connects their audience with the company. I feel my why fits here as I am helping brands in finding their own truth to make better connections and have a greater purpose in their work.
I would recommend “Find Your Why” to those who are trying to find their purpose in life or find a deeper meaning in a friend setting. They may be trying to find a new job or maybe they just experienced a big change in life. For colleagues, I believe this is a great way to get to know your team better as well as understanding how each person’s strengths can benefit the team.
Lynn Yeldell's Why
To challenge perceptions so that others can realize their value and purpose.
Our Seventh Scout Why asks of our team to have a personal connection to our clients as we elevate and transform their businesses. My personal Why statement reminds me that my contribution is to establish that personal connection with our clients and become their chief advocate. To challenge business and market norms so that together we can elevate their purpose and business.
The result of creating the why statement, for me, was the least valuable part. The transformative moments were stepping away from our work, clearing the table, and sharing the stories that have shaped our journey to this point. Each person brought their authentic self to the table and hearing those stories that have shaped their lives has and will continue to have a profound impact on how I look at our team. We now have a better understanding and can now support each individual as they need.
Our society tends to signal that we need to be more, do more, learn more. By finding my why with our Seventh Scout team, I felt validated that what I love has purpose and place and relieved that it comes naturally to me.
Jennifer Forsmann's Why
To seek out connections with others so that together we can make a greater impact collectively.
I found the “Find Your Why” process enlightening. As someone who made a major career path change recently, discovering my Why gave me motivation. At times I think actions taken can be unclear at the moment. Reflecting on decisions now, it’s clear to me this purpose outlined in my Why discovery plans a significant role in my actions professionally and personally.
Society puts so much emphasis on the value of all things. Crafting my Why statement was a huge reminder of the ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ saying. There is value in all things, but that value can be interpreted differently. Seeing my purpose align with the purpose of this company is really empowering.
Things are constantly changing but I think a lot of people can agree the COVID-19 pandemic lead a lot of self-reflection and life changes. Discovering my Why now, I believe, is more impactful than if I had explored it years ago. I recommend others try out the process as well.
At Seventh Scout, we believe in keeping our team small and nimble so we can work directly with our clients. No bait and switch. The team you meet up front will stay with you throughout the journey, and we’ll introduce you to the skilled partners that we may add to your troop along the way.
We are happy you got to know the team members that work directly with you to elevate your company. We invite to continue learning more about us.
