S11E08: Creating value through a shared purpose, Simon Mainwaring (CEO, We First)
December 21, 2023
"As long as the whole can survive, the business can thrive".
We're continuing our season on "the CEO rolodex." In this episode Richard speaks with Simon Mainwaring, founder/CEO of We First, a strategic consultancy accelerating growth and impact for today’s top purpose-driven brands. Simon’s first book, We First was a New York Times bestseller and his second book, Lead With We is a Wall Street Journal bestseller and awarded one of Forbes Top Ten Leadership Strategy Books of the Year.
In this conversation, you’ll learn:
- Whether an idea like "we first" can really thrive in today's cut-throat business environment
- How CEOs can talk about their purpose and impact in a way that generates respect, not cynicism
- The 5 reasons why businesses fail to create the most value from their purpose
- The 3 "break points" that kill corporate efforts to build an engaging sense of purpose (and what to do instead)
Resources/sources mentioned:
- simon@wefirstbranding.com
- We First book (link)
- Lead with We book (link)
- Lead with We podcast: https://leadwithwe.com/
- The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast (https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)
- Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.
- Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with the book Making Time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful. Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/
04:21 Forces threatening business
11:11 How to stand out amidst the competition
18:47 Commitment is essential for success in business
23:45 Responsibility, love, and vulnerability in leadership
28:25 "The power of leading with We."
31:45 Meaningful commitment and collaborative approach for success
33:46 Why you should consider a larger partner for company growth