Simon Sinek believes in why. In fact, he emphatically believes it’s what separates great leaders from the rest of us. This afternoon, Sinek brought his beliefs to CSAC, kicking off the Association’s 118^th Annual Meeting in Long Beach, Los Angeles County.

During his 45-minute presentation – complimented by a 90-minute workshop – the best-selling author and motivational speaker outlined what makes a great leader. Through exhaustive resarch of the most successful leaders and corporations of our time, Sinek found a reoccurring theme.

Great leaders, according to Sinek, have the capability to make us want to follow them when they start with “why” rather than “what.” And once we begin to understand the why, trust begins to build. “People are not drawn to what we do, but why we do it,” he told the crowd.

Sinek’s sound bites were plenty:

“Leadership is not a role or rank; it is a responsibility.”

“People who believe what you believe will give you their blood, sweat and tears.”

“A leader has a clear sense of the future that does not yet exist and the ability to communicate it.”

“When we have a clear destination, the route is flexible.”

“We need one thing to thrive and survive: each other. We have nothing else.”

And at the end, he had the Annual Meeting attendees pondering the “why.”

CSAC’s Annual Meeting continues tomorrow with Washington Post political columnist Ezra Klein providing attendees with the latest political and economic analysis from Washington, D.C. Attendees will also have an opportunity to discuss major issues facing California Counties, including realignment and pension reform.

But after Simon Sinek’s presentation, chances are there will be a bit more of the “why” in each conversation.