by Jim Solomon and Bruce LaRue, Ph.D.

Is your team committed – to each other?  As a leader, are you creating a culture based on values and character? Is your team’s philosophy “We not Me”?

Integrator Leaders Shape a Culture of We, not Me

As Simon Sinek says, “Culture = Values x Behavior.  Only when we take our values off the wall and actually live them can we say we have a strong corporate culture.”

For a team of IT specialists, contracted to provide on-site customer support for the U.S. Air Force, they became family.  And as in many families, they didn’t always agree or get along, but their bond was strong.  Each was committed to their teammates and to their mission, and they respected their leaders.  They did this because of the culture that the team’s leadership created.

The team’s leadership was strong, but not in a directive or harsh way.  They instilled a culture of values and character and held each member accountable.  Through this, members held each other accountable.  They lived a “We not Me” philosophy.

This culture carried through even outside of work on their own time. The team was deeply committed. When one of the younger IT specialists, a former Marine, was diagnosed with cancer, his teammates jumped in to help. While he recovered from his lengthy chemotherapy treatments, his teammates regularly donated their unused vacation time to him.  They took it upon themselves to help maintain his house and lawn.  They stayed in regular contact with his wife, often dropping by his house with a home-cooked dinner.

Over the course of the contract, several from the team were hired into permanent government jobs, representing significant career advancement. Others were promoted internally within the company. And during these changes, each incumbent took it upon themselves, to ensure a seamless transition with their replacement, even when there was a hiring gap.

Integrator Leaders understand that it is expected of them in their role to shape their organization’s culture.  Do you link your organization culture to bottom-line results?  Do you use this to know exactly where to place your “crowbar” to gain maximum leverage with minimum effort? Let the team at Chambers Bay Institute assist you with our Organization Culture Survey.

Note:

Jim Solomon recounted this true story that took place at Pensacola Naval Air Station. This team supported a U.S. Air Force training element and their team’s lead was a retired Navy Chief, Fred Rowlands. Fred – thanks for your leadership!

Learn more: “Seeing What Isn’t There – A Leader’s Guide to Creating Change in a Complex World”.

For additional Tips to become an Integrator Leader or assistance with your next off-site, workshop, or leadership development program, contact our team at Chambers Bay Institute.