How Important is Corporate Culture?
Not long ago, I saw something that I’ll never forget, something that truly underscored the importance of corporate culture in any organization. I was camping with 36 teenage boys and 3 other adults leaders at the 2013 BSA National Jamboree. Prior to our 14-day trip to West Virginia, most of us had only met a couple times. The only ties we had were those common to all Scouts, the “culture” of Scouting.
One day during the Jamboree, we were to take a 10-mile hike to the top of a nearby mountain where some festivities awaited us. Our campsite was a couple of miles from the trailhead so for our group it would be a 12-mile hike.
One stoutly-built Scout was winded by the time we reached the trailhead. “Mr. Joe, I don’t think I can make it,” he said. I gave him a short pep talk and we continued. A few miles in, he was lagging behind. I walked with him along with another Scout to make sure he didn’t get left behind.
“Mr. Joe, I can’t make it,” he said, bending at the waist, hands on knees trying to catch his breath. I pointed to a tree a couple of hundred feet ahead and asked if he could make it to that tree. Between deep breaths, he said he could so we continued walking. Once we reached that tree, I encouraged him again, pointed to another tree, and asked the same question. Over and over again, we repeated the routine.
Along the way, another Scout offered to carry his daypack for him. That young man carried his own daypack on his back and wore the struggling Scout’s pack on his stomach. He effectively doubled his own load to help someone else. The three of us (the stout Scout, the Scout carrying two packs, and I) slowly made our way up the mountain.
The rest of the Scouts noticed the young man was falling behind. Rather than mocking or laughing at the stout young man, they took frequent breaks to allow us to catch up.
As we neared the summit, we noticed that the rest of Scouts had stopped. Gathering together, they called out to the struggling Scout “You got this!” and “Keep going. You’re almost there.”
Once we closed the gap and were all together again, the rest of the Scouts ushered the young man to the front on the Troop so he, the one who had struggled so mightily, the one who had delayed their arrival to the fun festivities atop the mountain, the one who had nearly given up before he had even begun, could be the first one to summit the mountain. And when we arrived at the top, they let out a heartfelt cheer for their companion. That day, that young man accomplished something he didn’t think possible and his fellow Scouts celebrated that moment with him, right behind him.
Remembering that still brings a lump to my throat. It gives me hope for the day when our nation and our communities will be led by the coming generation.
I have lost contact with most of those young men. Yet, their actions that day remain with me. It’s something I won’t forget.
So, how important is corporate culture? I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say that the trajectory of that young Scout’s life may have been changed that day. Had the other Scouts jeered him, had they belittled his abilities, he would have left there feeling inadequate and deflated.
Instead, the group rallied behind him and built him up. There’s no telling the things he may accomplish in the future because of the corporate culture that existed in that Troop.
Imagine your team, encouraging one another. Imagine them pulling together for a common goal. Imagine them growing stronger together, sharing their strengths, and helping to carry each other’s load when needed. What could you accomplish? Maybe a better question would be: what couldn’t you accomplish?
Perhaps the most important thing we can do as leaders is to create the culture we want in our organizations. If we don’t intentionally do that, someone else will. And it may not be the culture we want.