Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't - Leaders Eat Last

Leadership is clearly a contact sport and a process of purposeful choice. People have essential needs and requirements and Sinek has a wonderful way of reminding us of that.
Dr. George L Dempsey, PhD, CEO
CORPORATE PSYCHOLOGY INC.

As a follow up to Start with WHY, I dove into this book with a similar expectation. Aside from the expertise and clear examples on leadership principles, my favorite parts were when he breaks down giant norms in society (the impact of the depression and wars on our society, our history as humans and how it directly effects our leadership models). This book has caused me to take a greater look at how I can specifically motivate/encourage those under my leadership. It's not an abstract concept, it's human nature...literally. When's the next book, Simon???

Purchased as a gift to one of my ROTC Cadets to begin their professional library. As part of a class assignment I asked each cadet what book would they no-kidding read, military or not, related to their academic major or not. After I compiled the list of books for the class I went online and ordered all the books from the store. I placed them at their seats prior to class and allowed them to enter the room w/o me being present for the first five minutes. It was, and still is, one of the good teaching moments of our time together. Thanks for helping me fulfill a need in their soon-to-be military career.

This is a must read for anyone who is serious about making his/her workplace environment a more collaborative win/win place for everyone. This book changes the way you view others and how to get the best out of everyone. I would pretty much rate it as one of the most impactful books on leadership I have ever read.

I enjoyed the book and without a doubt will incorporate many of the concepts into my business. To that extent I give Simon "two thumbs up". But halfway though, I had trouble swallowing opinion presented as fact. Conclusions based on one example, when if given a different example there would be a different conclusion does not equal a fact. I believe that the variety of opinion is what makes all of us smarter and I do embrace that, I am however very uncomfortable with opinions being presented as facts, which they certainly are not. It made the second half very distracting, and as I would like to point out to Simon; it kicked up a lot of unnecessary cortisol, distracted from the message and forced me to go back and weed the garden in the end to see some of the beauty.

The main idea the book is great. It's powerful and compelling. However so much time is spent trying to explain the biology behind emotions that the main point gets lost in the shuffle. The second half if the book is decidedly better than the first.

I have read other Sinek books which I found very helpful and challenging. This one seemed to be more history lessons which he tagged with catchy leadership headlines. Honestly the chapter titles are the most helpful things. Just look over the headings and you get the best parts of the book.

I really enjoyed how Simon explored different facets of corporate culture and creating contrasts between these examples.

Also the suggestions for self-reflection and improvement are worth the read.

What a powerful, enlightening work! This should be required reading for Congress, college students, our business leaders and well, just about anyone wishing to find clarity in this era of ME. Thank you!

It has been a few months since I read this. Sadly I can remember more problems I had with it than things I found enlightening or that I simply agreed with. Why I still give this three stars is because I know that I enjoyed much more of the book than I did not enjoy. Less than 10% of the book had me rolling my eyes. When Simon goes over the edge, he doesn't hold back.

So, would I recommend this book? If you find the description of the book interesting, yes I would. Will I buy another Simon Sinek book. Maybe, depends on the subject matter.

This has some great content. I appreciated understanding the role of the chemical releases (Endorphins, Dopamine Serotonin, and Oxytocin) we experience in certain environment and experiences. I found the frequent reference to our evolution and that these things developed in us an irritant and laborious to get through. Early civilization needing to work together in order to survive is relevant only to the point that they functioned better than groups who do not work together. I would have rather he simply explained how some groups in society have moved away from working together and the impact these chemicals have on their success. He did that but with frequent reference to our anthropological roots.

Fantastic insights into human behaviour, and how to increase trust and a feeling of safety in work teams. Great real-life examples to elaborate on key points, easy to read without too much industry jargon, and should be mandatory reading in all leadership groups!

I am the quality of this book, brand new it arrived with perfect timing .
The insights and information in the book allow me to expand my beliefs around how I live my life.
Feeling gratitude for wonderful service.....
Michael.

The book is a treatise on leadership. I read his first book (Start With Why) and it changed the way I view our business and what we are about. The followup book, Leaders Eat Last builds on that but extends it beyond just the 'why' but the 'how' to actually do it.

I've just finished this book. It was a very enjoyable read, full of interesting facts and correlations to biological facts and real-world examples of leadership fails and wins. It's a great reinforcement and summation of many key elements of successful leadership.

Well done Simon.

I liked Simon's surgical analysis of leadership using historical facts and examples. Though I would have liked to read more about the connection of his first book to the biology of leadership I enjoyed reading it. Well done!

Offers a great philosophy for leaders on how they should treat their employees and run their office. Wish all corporate leaders would feel this way and run their offices with this philosophy and concepts.

I first heard of this book from Adam Grant, who has it on his list books to watch for in 2014. It arrived a couple days ago and I have been digging in. It is so compelling, and shows the path to becoming a leader who is effective, breeds loyalty and dignity, and who can be proud of both what you did and how you did it, Great book.

Sinek is a captivating speaker with some of the most watched TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design), and has some worthwhile ideas. However, he mostly rambles on with little evidence to support his assertions. He introduces "science" of biochemistry to make points that stretch well beyond what the science actually supports. He dresses up tired old liberal rants against free markets and limited government in righteous sounding polemics against evil corporate leaders pursuing profits at the expense of people, without considering deeper matters of freedom of choice and the pernicious and often fruitless effects of government regulations. This book has limited practical value for leaders, other than reminding one of the importance of establishing a working environment in which people feel safe (which could have been communicated much more succinctly).

Loves the connection of leadership to well - being. There are lessons in this work that everyone can appreciate. You will learn at least one thing. You will finish with a sense if inspired purpose.

I liked Simon's surgical analysis of leadership using historical facts and examples. Though I would have liked to read more about the connection of his first book to the biology of leadership I enjoyed reading it. Well done!

Offers a great philosophy for leaders on how they should treat their employees and run their office. Wish all corporate leaders would feel this way and run their offices with this philosophy and concepts.

I first heard of this book from Adam Grant, who has it on his list books to watch for in 2014. It arrived a couple days ago and I have been digging in. It is so compelling, and shows the path to becoming a leader who is effective, breeds loyalty and dignity, and who can be proud of both what you did and how you did it, Great book.

Simon has the ability to take complex "academic" information and put it into interesting, straight forward and real life context.

After I read the book, it all sounds so simple and logical.

Brad

Too much fluff and very little substantive techniques. A book clearly written for the overly touchy-feely type who may lack the courage to have the difficult conversations or make hard choices required in business - especially in big business. I kept waiting for the book to go somewhere meaningful but instead the author chose to focus on Ronald Reagan's firing of the striking air traffic controllers and titans of industry who were really just thoughtless, greedy capitalist. It didn't take long to pick up that the authors political persuasion was influencing his writing.

I was very surprised to read this book, having read the glowing reviews and anticipating a lot. There is not much factual, researched and original content as there is meandering anecdotal opinions. Although well written, it's lacking any meaningful insight. Wish there was more.

I really tried to give this book a higher rating but just couldn't. While I can't quibble with anything Sinek says, he says nothing that hasn't been said by dozens of other authors. The point of his book: Leaders need to care for others, protect them from harm, provide opportunities for them to grow and develop, create a vision of something to believe in that's larger than themselves, and take an interest--a genuine interest--in the well-being of their followers.

There's a great deal of hand wringing in this book, but almost no "how-to" that can be applied in everyday organizations. He even uses the word "polemic" late in the book as a description of what he's writing. We all know what needs to be done, but very few of us are doing it.

Yes, it was interesting to read about brain chemicals and current brain research. And it was okay to read some of his comparisons between/among companies that see profit as the purpose versus those companies that see profit as a means to greater purpose. The problem is that all of this could have been stated in a pamphlet, rather than a 216-page book. And, just as his TED talk on "Start With Why" offered everything in that book, his 99U video offers everything in this book--in less than 45 minutes.

I recommend lots of books to students in my leadership development classes but, in this case, I'll recommend that the students watch Sinek's videos and save their money.

I enjoyed Simon's TED talk and spent time watching several of his speeches. This principles Simon presents in this book have stood the test of time. I am glad to see a book encouraging leaders to lead with integrity!!

I love like this book, with lessons of the army or great thinkers Simon Sinek shows us how great liders can make the difference in the life of others and in their personal life, succes without shortcuts thats the recipe and he describes how to make it.

Not sure I agree with his findings. I love his first couple books especially Start with Why, but this seemed a bit more linear in his views and experiences. Then again, live with a Marine and he says, not really the pretty picture he builds. Marie Corps of today is very different in attitude and profession then pre 9/11.

As a former soldier myself, I can relate to the examples Simon uses. Although I've been with some fine organizations, the level of trust and teamwork common within military units is tough to match. Strongly recommended for business leaders who are serious about walking the walk beyond slogans. Take care of the troops and they'll take care of the mission.

I gave the book 3 stars because I like the overall principles of true leadership. However, the problem I had with it is the overemphasis on our willingness to help others being chemically driven, as opposed to choices being made. I do not believe we evolved over 50,000 years. I believe we were created in the image of God, and part of that includes helping others. Unfortunately, with the fall of man, selfishness and greed now had a foothold in his world, and has became rampant. Helping and looking out for others is a choice we must make. The chemicals, I will agree, give us a sense of feeling good when we do so. Again, it starts with a choice.

This book is a must-read for everyone. In a world that seems to be quickly shifting toward narcissism and instant gratification, I believe there are ideas in this book that could change the world if enough people read it.