Simon Sinek
{{Short description|English-American author and motivational speaker}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox writer
| image = Simon Sinek speaks to I MIG Marines (2) (cropped).jpg
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| name = Simon Sinek
| pseudonym =
| caption = Sinek in 2020
| birth_name = Simon Oliver Sinek
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|10|9}}
| birth_place = Wimbledon, London, England
| citizenship = United States
| occupation = motivational speaker, author
| education = {{plainlist|
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| notableworks = {{plainlist|
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| years_active =
| website = {{URL|https://simonsinek.com}}
}}
Simon Oliver Sinek (born 9 October 1973) is an English-born American author and inspirational speaker on business leadership. His books include Start with Why (2009) and The Infinite Game (2019).
Early life and education
Sinek was born in Wimbledon on 9 October 1973.{{cite web|url=https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simon-sineks-wife|title=Uncovering The Truth Behind Simon Sinek's Wife|access-date=June 28, 2024}} His mother is Jewish and of Hungarian Jewish descent.{{Cite web |last=Chananie |first=Beth Janoff |date=2013-03-15 |title=Helping prepare for the seder ... and beyond: new cookbooks for Passover |url=http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/content/item/helping_prepare_for_the_seder_..._and_beyond/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130623235659/http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/content/item/helping_prepare_for_the_seder_..._and_beyond/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-06-23 |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Jewish Standard }} As a child, he lived in Johannesburg, London, and Hong Kong before his family settled in the United States. He graduated in 1991 from Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest in Bergen County, New Jersey{{cite web|last1=NVD|title=Superintendent's blog: Simon Sinek Returns to NVD|url=http://www.nvnet.org/?plugin=RWD&Templates=RWD&object=/superintendents_blog/I074E94AE&infobar=no|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912182526/http://www.nvnet.org/?plugin=RWD&Templates=RWD&object=/superintendents_blog/I074E94AE&infobar=no |archive-date=September 12, 2014 |url-status=dead|publisher=Northern Valley Regional High School|date=February 11, 2013}} and earned a BA in cultural anthropology from Brandeis University, then studied law at City, University of London.{{cite news|url=http://www.director.co.uk/opinion-simon-sinek-to-grow-your-business-let-go-20674-2/|title=Simon Sinek: To grow your business, let go|last1=Maxwell|first1=Chris|date=January 6, 2017|work=Director|archive-date=March 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327112632/https://www.director.co.uk/opinion-simon-sinek-to-grow-your-business-let-go-20674-2/|url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |date=18 May 2018 |title=Simon Sinek: How Do Great Leaders Inspire Us To Take Action? |url=https://www.npr.org/2018/05/18/612154435/simon-sinek-how-do-great-leaders-inspire-us-to-take-action |access-date=30 April 2024 |website=NPR}}
Career
File:Golden circle.png, a perspective on the influence of successful leaders and organizations|alt=Three concentric circles, with the inner circle labeled Why, the middle circle labeled How, and the outer circle labeled What]]
Sinek began his career at the New York ad agencies Euro RSCG and Ogilvy & Mather, then launched his own business, Sinek Partners.
As a motivational speaker, Sinek has spoken at the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit in 2016,{{Cite web|url=https://www.unglobalcompact.org/take-action/events/leaders-summit/leaders-summit-programme|title=Programme |website=UN Global Compact|access-date=2018-02-17}} and at TEDx conferences several times, beginning in 2009.{{cite news|last1=Koji|first1=David|title=An Inspiring Discussion With Simon Sinek About Learning Your 'Why'|url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/284791|accessdate=January 12, 2017 |publisher=Entrepreneur|date=December 8, 2016 }} His 2010 "How Great Leaders Inspire Action", arising out of his first book, Start with Why, is one of the most-viewed TED talks,{{cite web |first=Luke |last=Ferris |url=https://foundr.com/articles/leadership/personal-growth/simon-sinek |title=Simon Sinek: Who's the Man Behind the Personal Brand? |work=Foundr |type=interview |date=January 26, 2023 |access-date=October 18, 2023 }} and his following book, Leaders Eat Last, appeared on the bestseller lists of the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.
In June 2018, The Young Turks reported a $98,000 no-bid contract from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for leadership training by Sinek,{{Cite web|url=https://tytnetwork.com/2018/06/26/ice-paid-famous-motivational-speaker-for-leadership-training/|title=ICE Paid Famous Motivational Speaker for 'Leadership Training'|website=tytnetwork.com|date=June 26, 2018 |access-date=2018-06-26}} which was provided by Ernst & Young.{{cite web |title=Award Summary, PIID 70CMSD18P00000045 |url=https://www.usaspending.gov/#/award/65738729 |website=usaspending.gov |accessdate=2020-07-04}} Sinek has also been an instructor of strategic communications at Columbia University,{{cite web |title=Instructor Simon Sinek Featured by 99% |publisher=Columbia University School of Professional Studies |url=http://sps.columbia.edu/strategic-communications/news/instructor-simon-sinek-featured-99 |date=May 16, 2012 |access-date=October 18, 2023 }} and an adjunct staff member of the RAND Corporation.{{cite web |title=RAND Corporation Staff Directory |url=https://www.rand.org/about/contacts.html |website=RAND Corporation |accessdate=August 22, 2018}}
In November 2018, Publishers Weekly reported that Sinek would start Optimism Press, a new imprint of Penguin Random House.{{cite web |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/book-deals/article/78592-portfolio-to-launch-new-imprint-acquires-new-book-on-kavanaugh.html |last=Maher |first=John |date=November 15, 2018 |title=Portfolio to Launch New Imprint |website=Publishers Weekly |accessdate=July 3, 2020 }} He subsequently launched The Optimism Company, a digital learning platform.
Publications
Sinek has published five books:
- Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2009. {{ISBN|978-1591846444}}.{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffkauflin/2017/06/20/the-years-5-bestselling-leadership-books-and-why-theyre-so-great/|title=The Year's Five Bestselling Leadership Books, And Why They're So Great |last=Kauflin |first=Jeff |work=Forbes |type=contributor blog|date=June 20, 2017}}
- Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't. New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2014. {{ISBN|978-1591845324}}.
- Together Is Better: A Little Book of Inspiration. New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2016. {{ISBN|978-1591847854}}.
- Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team. New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2017. {{ISBN|9781101992982}}.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/millennials-listening-simon-sinek|title=Millennials are telling you why your company stinks but you're not listening: a Q&A with Simon Sinek|last=Burnett|first=Jane|date=August 23, 2017|work=Ladders|access-date=January 6, 2018}}
- The Infinite Game. New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2019. {{ISBN|9780735213500}}.{{cite web |first=Chris |last=Congdon |url=https://www.steelcase.com/research/articles/topics/culture/simon-sineks-new-game/ |title=Simon Sinek's New Game |website=Steelcase |date=January 14, 2020 |access-date=October 18, 2023 |type=interview}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline}}
- [https://simonsinek.com/ Official website]
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Category:American motivational writers
Category:Brandeis University alumni
Category:American non-fiction writers
Category:American motivational speakers
Category:American advertising executives
Category:Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest alumni
Category:Writers from Bergen County, New Jersey
Category:RAND Corporation people
Category:English emigrants to the United States