Framing Success

Leadership is not just about chasing results, it’s about building the fundamentals that make those results possible, again and again.

As Simon Sinek famously explains in his work on Start With Why, the most successful leaders and organisations think, act, and communicate from the inside out. The why comes first, the purpose, cause, or belief that drives everything. Once that’s clear, we can determine what we do and how we do it.

To illustrate, consider the story of Jean-Michel Basquiat.

In 1982, at just 22 years old, Basquiat created a painting that was raw, dazzling, and layered with meaning, an explosion of colour, text, and symbolism. He used his instinctive visual language to speak about America, art, and the black experience. His rise shook the New York art scene, breaking through barriers that had excluded black painters from the international spotlight.

That success didn’t appear overnight. Basquiat built it on years of obsession with the fundamentals, art history, technique, symbolism, cultural context, and an unwavering commitment to his why. Even as he experimented and pushed boundaries, the foundation was there.

When success is framed around clear fundamentals, it creates the conditions for innovation and progress. With strong systems, shared values, and a clear purpose, teams can adapt to challenges, seize opportunities, and maintain momentum over time.

Basquiat’s story also shows that the full value of great work is often realised later. In 2017, one of his 1982 paintings came up for auction at Sotheby’s. The bidding began at $57 million. It climbed: $60 million… $77 million… $98 million… and finally, the hammer fell at $110 million, the highest price ever paid for an American artist’s work, surpassing even Andy Warhol.

That moment was the framing of his success. The recognition for years of focus, discipline, and creative courage.

In leadership and culture, the same principles apply. We may not see the ultimate recognition for our work right away. But if we are clear on our why, committed to our fundamentals, and protective of the culture that allows people to contribute their best, then when the time comes to frame our success, the value will speak for itself.