“Leaders Eat Last” written by Simon Sinek
There is a war for talent in the United States today and many small businesses are finding themselves on the losing end of this conflict. Author Simon Sinek makes the case in his book “Leaders Eat Last” that it will be the companies with the best leaders that will attract the top talent in today’s workplace.
Simon Sinek is a New York Times bestselling author and also appeared in one of the most watched TED Talks of all time. His first book, “Start With Why” made a compelling case for companies to have a powerful purpose/mission in order to attract more customers and better employees.
In his second book, “Leaders Eat Last”, published in 2014, Sinek suggests that the best companies foster employee trust and cooperation by building a “Circle of Safety”. Once your team members feel safe, they can then focus their collective energies on growing your company.
The title of the book comes from a conversation with a Marine Corps general who when asked by Sinek, “What makes the Marines so good?”, he responded, “Officers eat last”. The symbolism suggests that great leaders will sacrifice their interests for the good of those in their care. When do you eat in your company?
In the newly revised edition of the book, Sinek has added a special section on leading millennials. He shares with the reader that this generation, more than any other recent generations, want to work somewhere that has a strong sense of purpose. They want to make an impact on the world.
The book is filled with very good research on leadership and many interesting stories on leaders in a variety of different roles and organizations.