Great leaders inspire action. Whether it is Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, or the Wright Brothers, successful leaders all think, act, and communicate in the exact same way. It is the complete opposite of everyone else.
Simon Sinek calls this the "Golden Circle." In Toastmasters, we often focus on the mechanics—the "What" (speeches) and the "How" (vocal variety). But the "Why" is our core purpose. Why are you here? When we communicate our "Why" first, we speak directly to the part of the brain that controls behavior.
Consider the structure of a club meeting. The Sergeant at Arms calls the meeting to order—that is the 'What'. But the Toastmaster of the Day sets the theme—that is the 'Why'. Without a strong theme, a meeting is just a series of logistical events. With a theme, it becomes a narrative.
When you prepare your next speech, don't just ask "What am I going to say?" Ask yourself "Why does this message matter?" That simple shift will change your delivery from informational to transformational.