REACH Interview Series: Simon Sinek

Nov 3, 2017

The Reach Interview Series is an informal dialogue between Andy Molinsky and respected thought leaders about the challenges of stepping outside your comfort zone, especially in the process of developing yourself as a leader.

You probably know Simon Sinek as a best selling author and accomplished speaker. But what you probably don’t know is that Simon struggled early on in his career to develop he confidence he’s so known for today. In this interview, we chat about the early challenges Simon faced on his leadership journey, how he overcame these challenges – -and the advice he has for young people interested in developing their own leadership potential.

Building Relationships vs. Getting Down to Business

Xavier Frei wanted to get down to business. A Zurich-born manager with 10 years’ experience working in Germany and Switzerland, Xavier had just landed a few days ago in Monterrey, Mexico, at a small pharmaceutical company that was recently purchased by Xavier’s company, a major European pharmaceutical firm.

Picture the following: Greg O’Leary, a 32-year-old mid-level manager, is in Shanghai for the first time to negotiate a critical deal with a distributor.

In my role as a professor at the Brandeis International Business School, I teach a course each fall about acting outside your comfort zone.

The first thing most of us do when working with people from a new culture is to learn about differences.

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