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“Weak leaders are the ones who only extend the benefits of the Circle of Safety to their fellow senior executives and a chosen few others. They look out for each other, but they do not offer the same considerations to those outside their ‘inner circle.’ Without the protection of our leaders, everyone outside the inner circle is forced to work alone or in small tribes to protect and advance their own interests.” (Simon Sinek, Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t, pp. 23, Kindle Location 477)

I’ve been slowly reading through Sinek’s book, Leaders Eat Last, over the last few months. Usually I cruise through most books, but this book has given me pause, and I’ve had to think a lot about what he is saying. His Circle of Safety has been an important concept for me to unpack at a much deeper level (as he does in the book).

It’s so important that as leaders we create an environment of safety and trust in our organizations. As a marriage therapist I’m thinking a lot about this concept in marriage — meaning, marriages need to foster a safe environment, because without it, spouses are unable to emotionally connect. If a relationship doesn’t feel safe, then we move away from those relationships, rather than towards them.

Check out Sinek’s TED talk, Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe (see below)

Below is a lengthy discussion by Sinek of the book: