Leaders Eat Last – Quick Review

In the past few days, I finished reading the book “Leaders Eat Last” by Simon Sinek, and it’s time to share my thoughts on it. Although the book isn’t particularly lengthy, it is packed with valuable insights.

The author guides us through issues faced by many modern teams and entire companies, such as a lack of internal trust, transparency, an overemphasis on shareholder profits over customer needs, high employee turnover, and many more. The book explains how these problems arose, the values that have been lost along the way, and the impact of our hormones — like dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin — on all of this.

It also explores how the actions of generations following World War II have influenced the current situation. The author argues that financial crises, social media addiction, and mass layoffs are direct consequences of these actions — and it’s hard not to agree. The book serves as a solid guide on “what kind of leader not to be.” Do you think that generating internal pressure within a team in response to external threats is a good idea? It might seem like it, but research makes it clear: this is nonsense and a very harmful approach. Building trust, creating an internal circle of safety, and taking care of people is the foundation of success, as history has shown us. Of course, the book also includes practical advice on how to build a better, more cohesive, and collaborative team.

On the downside, I have to mention that the book focuses entirely on the U.S. market and politics. While I understand that the author is most familiar with his own environment, I believe it’s time to pay more attention to other regions. Globalization is one thing, but cultural differences are extremely important. People don’t function the same way everywhere. Take tipping as an example: in the U.S., it’s the norm, but in Japan, offering a tip is considered an insult. I bring this up because applying all the knowledge from this book without considering local nuances can lead to incorrect assumptions and misguided actions. Adapting to the specific culture is necessary, rather than imposing rigid rules.

Nevertheless, I highly recommend it!