Why-First Thinking

It has often been said you cannot live in the past, and that the past does not predict the future. With that in mind, it may seem puzzling why many businesses place so much emphasis on past performance data for themselves and their peers. This in turn influences key decision making and the approach to predicting future performance. In many cases these organizations focus on what products they sell, how they do it, and rarely leverage why they exist or why they matter to their customer base.

If you don’t have a “why” mindset, you may simply be following trends and trying to one-up your competitors. That might work for a while, but companies with a purpose and fresh innovative thinking aligned to customer needs and desires will inevitably come along and rock the boat. After all, your fortune will be a result of focused effort and the value and magnetism you generate in the eyes of your customers. Put another way, the “why” that results in customers wanting to buy from you.

I’m reminded of the often-repeated example of the original iPhone. While Apple had enjoyed great success with the iPod, competitors caught up and launched more compelling alternatives. Apple understood this but had a greater purpose and focus. When the iPhone was released, it fundamentally changed how the world saw handheld devices, and established a new normal for communications, convenience, and how we interact with one another.

The iPhone example is not a one off for Apple. The company mindset can be traced to key historic messages, like “Think Different”. They lead with “why” rather than “what”. This also comes across in their mission to “bring the best user experience to customers through innovative hardware, software, and services”. Their “why” is not a cynical cash grab, chasing shareholder value, or churning out product iterations. Peel back the layers and you will see a lot of innovation and thought that goes into the user experience.

Not every product is a hit, but many are. Apple customers are willing to pay more than they would for other brands to get their latest products. Software vendors in turn often focus on Apple first, due in part to the technology and for customers’ willingness to pay more. A great example is in AI development where tools like LM Studio and Cursor were Mac-first.

Simon Senik’s Golden Circle provides a great perspective and clear sense of “why” first thinking rather than starting with the product-oriented “what”. In essence he says, customers do not buy what you do, but rather why you do it.

• Starting with “why” means you first establish your core belief, purpose or cause.

• From there you determine “how” to bring your “why” to life.

• The “what” becomes the result – the products and services you choose to sell.

When your organization’s “why” mindset aligns with customer needs, it creates an incentive - to buy, to build a relationship, and to reach shared aspirations and goals. It needs to be genuine and address real needs. And it is often more complex and nuanced in B2B businesses, compared to B2C operations. When it resonates with a large volume of customers, it creates conditions for growth.

If you have not led with “why” in the past, it’s not too late. Even as a thought exercise it can be very enlightening. It may be that it is right there in your mission statement or company vision waiting to be rediscovered, reimagined, modernized, or simply used with aligned customers to inspire them to buy from you.

OXI Media helps companies make better decisions at critical moments. We combine deep market insight, technology, and product strategy with operational execution to accelerate growth, reduce risk, and deliver measurable results.

If finding your “why” remains elusive, please reach out. We are here to help. Email us at awarman@oximedia.net

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