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Key Takeaways People do not learn culture by reading about it. They learn it by watching the person at the top of the metaphorical food chain.
If you want a culture where people take ownership, you as the leader have to be seen taking ownership, especially in low-stakes situations where nobody expects you to.
If you want a culture of accountability, you have to admit your own wrongdoings in front of your team.
I want to tell you about a chair.
A few months ago, before a company event, I walked into the venue while setup was still happening. Tables needed moving. Chairs needed stacking. The team was doing the work. Nobody asked me to help. There was no reason for me to step in. The task was beneath the title on my business card, and everyone in the room knew it.
So I grabbed a chair and started moving it.
What happened next is the point. People noticed. Not in a loud way. Nobody clapped. But the shift in the room was unmistakable. My chief of staff did the same. Others followed. The energy changed. And later, I overheard someone telling a colleague about it as if it were a remarkable thing.
Moving a chair. That was it.
I have sat through culture workshops. I have reviewed values decks that took consultants months to produce. None of those things traveled through my organization the way that chair did.
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