How motivational speaker Simon Sinek helped a Hong Kong charity boss become a better leader by finding her ‘why’

When Catherine Tong Dannaoui was promoted to lead HandsOn Hong Kong, she had impostor syndrome, but then she immersed herself in the work of Simon Sinek

The business leadership author’s videos, podcasts and book Start with Why inspired her to realise her vision, and empowered her to motivate others by caring

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Catherine Tong Dannaoui, the executive director of HandsOn Hong Kong, had impostor syndrome when she first started the role, but then Simon Sinek’s work inspired her to lead with vision. Photo: HandsOn Hong Kong

Published: 5:15pm, 29 May 2024

Business leadership author and motivational speaker Simon Sinek’s best known book, Start with Why (2009), counsels making issues of motivation, mission and purpose central to any organisation, arguing that the best leaders work by inspiration.

Catherine Tong Dannaoui, executive director of HandsOn Hong Kong, an NGO that galvanises people to volunteer for a host of local good causes, tells Richard Lord how it changed her life.

My predecessor, Sue Toomey, showed me his Ted Talk. She said it had blown her away, and she’d played it for her team.

Running a charity and being part of a team, your purpose is something you have to think about all the time or you’re in trouble. We support lots of other charities, and it always comes back to “why”.

Tong Dannaoui says she has always been a people pleaser, and that she used to think of that as a weakness. Photo: HandsOn Hong Kong

It gave a lot of inspiration and guidance to all of us: let’s never make assumptions, but be curious and ask our partners what it is that they’re thinking about and what they need.

I watched the video and moved on. Then, two years ago, I was asked to take over, as Sue was leaving. I was terrified and I had impostor syndrome: I didn’t think that I could do this. That was when I read the book, and I also started immersing myself in his podcasts and videos.