Why–How–What Circles

Purpose

The Why–How–What Circles model, popularised by Simon Sinek, challenges teams to start with "Why" before defining "How" and "What". Most organisations can explain what they do and how they do it, but few can articulate why they exist beyond profit. This exercise helps teams discover or sharpen their core purpose, which drives better decision-making, branding, and motivation.

At a glance

How to run

1. Draw the circles (1 min): Three concentric circles: Why (centre), How (middle ring), What (outer ring).
2. Start with What (5 min): List what your team/product/company does. Tangible outputs and offerings.
3. Define How (7 min): How do you do it differently from others? What is your unique process, value, or approach?
4. Discover Why (10 min): Why does this team/product/company exist? What belief drives everything? Keep asking "But why does that matter?" until you reach something irreducible.
5. Test and refine (2 min): Read the Why aloud. Does it resonate? Would it still be true if you changed your product?

Materials needed

• Whiteboard or large paper with three concentric circles drawn
• Sticky notes and markers
• Simon Sinek's TED talk or a 2-minute summary (optional pre-work)

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• Generic Why: "To make the world a better place" is not distinctive. Push for specificity.
• Confusing Why with What: "To build great software" is a What, not a Why.
• Leadership dictating: The Why must emerge from the group, not be handed down.
• One and done: Revisit the Why as the organisation evolves.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Use silent brainstorming for each ring so all voices contribute.
• Provide the framework explanation in advance for participants who need processing time.
• Allow diverse expressions — the Why can be a sentence, a phrase, or even a sketch.

Variations

• Personal circles: Each individual articulates their own Why, then the team synthesises.
• Competitive circles: Map competitors' why–how–what circles to find differentiation.
• Why–How–What Circles + Brand Story: Use the Why to draft a brand narrative.

When NOT to use this

• When the team needs tactical planning, not purpose exploration.
• When leadership has already defined and communicated a clear purpose that the team accepts.
• When the team is cynical about vision exercises — address the cynicism first.

Source & further reading

• Simon Sinek, *Start with Why* (2009)
• Simon Sinek, TED Talk: "How Great Leaders Inspire Action" (2009)
• David Mead & Peter Docker, *Find Your Why* (2017)