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Bloggy Question 13 — The Incredible Culture

May 28, 2006 by Liz Leave a Comment

Incredible

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week, I offer this Blogging Question.

This one starts with a quote from famed choreographer Kenny Ortega, who directed High School Musical, Disney Channel’s incredibly-popular DVD movie that’s a cross between Grease and Dirty Dancing. I found the quote in this weeks’ TV Guide Magazine.

Ortega says, “When I went into rehearsals with the cast, I discovered this incredible group of young people who were so bonded, who so liked one another, who were so ready to have the bar raised and do anything it took to make something special. they came to work on fire. That’s something you can’t buy, teach or direct.”

I’ve felt that at places I’ve worked. It IS incredible. It’s like magic.

What makes a place a culture like that? How does it start? What keeps it going?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
Blogging Life Question 12
Blogging NOT A Hypothetical Question 11
Blogging Hypothetical Question 10

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Filed Under: Bloggy Questions, Community, Motivation, Productivity, Successful Blog Tagged With: bc, blogging, blogging_life, bloggy_life_question, company_culture, discussion, Disney_Channel, High_School_Musical, hypothetical_question, Kenny_Ortega

Comments

  1. Martin says

    May 28, 2006 at 6:26 PM

    I think it just happens. It can’t be manufactured.

    It’s just the right time, the right people, the right mood – it just happens. That’s it Liz: It Just Happens

    That’s the only time when I miss the rat race – that rare period where everything gels together … but, that is sooo rare.

    Reply
  2. ME Strauss says

    May 28, 2006 at 6:42 PM

    You’re right, Martin. It is soooo rare. It takes quality people, high competence, and a leader who is anything but insecure. Imagine that!

    Reply
  3. Martin says

    May 28, 2006 at 6:51 PM

    I’m imagining it … I can almost see it … Nup, I only saw glimpses it’s that rare.

    An insecure leader is one of the worst type of leaders to be under. They usually undermine the whole (team) effort just to combat their own insecurities.

    Reply
  4. ME Strauss says

    May 28, 2006 at 6:52 PM

    You must have worked in one or you wouldn’t believe in such a situation at all. 🙂

    Reply
  5. ann michael says

    May 28, 2006 at 6:59 PM

    I think that if you work with people that are confident but always seeking to learn and genuinely trying to do the right thing – that you can foster an environment like this. They should have the “greater good” in mind and not just be pursuing their own agenda (which is why this is so hard to build in most companies).

    The cool thing is that even those of us who aren’t working for a company as their employee can find this when we assemble teams to address customer issues – honestly, we might be more capable of building teams like this than those “on the inside”.

    Reply
  6. ME Strauss says

    May 28, 2006 at 7:03 PM

    You have a really good point, Ann, about being on the outside. If folks are ready for a change and you come in filled with positive energy, you can be just what makes this happen.

    I once had someone call me the “glue.” 🙂

    Reply
  7. Martin says

    May 28, 2006 at 7:04 PM

    Glad you asked Liz 🙂

    Straight out of high school I went to work for a bank (4 years), so I’ve seen it all come and go.

    For a short period there, there were a few of us (same age group) who really had a ball at work … and it did help that our leader was a boozer just like us wanna-be’s.

    But things change. People move on.

    Our next leader was more srtict, uptight, maybe even insecure and it was never the same again.

    And really, I’ve probably been chasing that ever since.

    Reply
  8. ME Strauss says

    May 28, 2006 at 7:07 PM

    Bet you worked really hard and didn’t mind that the money wasn’t the best either.

    Reply
  9. ann michael says

    May 28, 2006 at 7:08 PM

    Liz – that’s funny that you say that. I’ve been referred to as glue! I remember telling someone I preferred to be thought of as grease – someone to come in and help get the gears moving – just as in your case, I’m sure glue was meant as a compliment, but I just got this vision in my head of a roach motel and I couldn’t get it out 🙂

    Reply
  10. Martin says

    May 28, 2006 at 7:11 PM

    Liz, spot on.

    And I guess you’re our glue here. Is that what they mean when they say try and make your site sticky…

    Reply
  11. ME Strauss says

    May 28, 2006 at 7:14 PM

    Ann, I always just tried to me the happy-go-lucky one, The bean-bag you could knock over who would pop back up again.

    Martin, does that mean, I wasn’t supposed to smear the place with all of this caramel??

    Oh no! Here’s your nachos,

    Ann, can I get you something?

    Reply
  12. ann michael says

    May 28, 2006 at 7:21 PM

    I loved that bean bag thing!

    Probably the only thing you could get me we’d need a prescription for!!! I’m damaged – I admit it – but hey – why be normal! (Don’t even ask me why I won’t eat raisins!)

    Reply
  13. Martin says

    May 28, 2006 at 7:23 PM

    Nothing wrong with a little caramel overdose … but not on my nachos please! And I’ll be over by that bean-bag you’ve set up in the sidebar.

    And thanks: now it’s on my mind to have some caramel. Did I tell you I have a sweet tooth, so stop tempting me.

    Anne: why do you eat raisins.

    Reply
  14. ME Strauss says

    May 28, 2006 at 7:23 PM

    Here, have a glass of wine. I think we have too much in common. You sit on one side of Martin. I’ll take the other. 🙂

    Reply
  15. ann michael says

    May 28, 2006 at 7:26 PM

    Hi Martin – Actually – I won’t eat raisins – I hate their consistency. I keep thinking of bugs – like raisinets are little chocolate covered ants – ick!! I can’t take it. I can handle ANYTHING but bugs (give me change resistent territorial corporate types and I’m fine – slip me a raisin and I’m crazy!). We all need our phobias right!?

    Reply
  16. ME Strauss says

    May 28, 2006 at 7:28 PM

    So Ann,
    What kind of snacks would you like from the sidebar?

    Reply
  17. ann michael says

    May 28, 2006 at 7:32 PM

    Well – to bring it all back around to your original question – chemistry and playfulness go along way in creating a WOW team (to steal something from Tom Peters!). The three of us should find something to work on together – we’d have a blast. Oh and, peanuts, please!

    Reply
  18. ME Strauss says

    May 28, 2006 at 7:34 PM

    Now THERE’s an idea! And Martin, June 1 is just next week,

    What do you say. You have couple of things to finishe up, but then . . . .

    Here are your peanut’s, Ann. (Don’t show Martin the ones that are cover with the hardened caramel. 🙂 )

    Reply
  19. Martin says

    May 28, 2006 at 7:43 PM

    Is it coming up to June 1 already!!!

    but then … I’m going to be pushing my new blog real hard, full time, for at least 2 weeks.

    then …

    Ps. Don’t forget BlogTipping Day

    Reply
  20. ME Strauss says

    May 28, 2006 at 7:46 PM

    Oh yeah and aren’t there those documents you were going to publish . . . They would get in the way of working with two really smart women with three-letter first names.

    After all, folks with 3-letter first name are kind of UP THERE when it comes to quality. (ex. see GOD.) 🙂

    Reply
  21. ann michael says

    May 28, 2006 at 8:04 PM

    Martin – I just went over and looked at your blog/site. Very interesting. I’m a publishing expatriate myself. We should all talk sometime!!! Can’t wait to see what you do on June 1st! (you’ll have to do a podcast too – Australian accents totally rock!).

    Reply
  22. Martin says

    May 28, 2006 at 8:20 PM

    Then call me Mar (Waaah, I wan’t a three-letter name too!)

    Those aren’t documents Liz. They’re manuscripts currently going through the development process of my publishing firm (ie: sitting in my To Do tray).

    By the way, as you can see, my publishing arm – KickstartPress.com – is a hive of activity. Actually it’s all part of a master plan (if you know what it is, please let me know).

    Ann – a publishing expat. Nice. Pleased to meet you. I’m naturally drawn to publishing-types. Give me the elevator pitch on your publishing background?

    I think podcasts might be on the agenda later down the track.

    … and now I’m heading off to take a look at Manage to Change.

    Liz … thanks for the nachos. They were good as usual and I’ll see you later.

    Reply
  23. ME Strauss says

    May 28, 2006 at 8:23 PM

    Martin, you don’t need a 3-letter name you are the MAN. Come up and see me sometime!

    Let me know what’s new in the blogosphere. I’m still crawling away at 2nd grade writing. 🙂

    Reply
  24. ME Strauss says

    May 28, 2006 at 8:24 PM

    Ann,
    We’re just going to have to build our own WOW venture company and make folks interview with us.

    Reply
  25. Steve Remington says

    May 29, 2006 at 12:13 AM

    I have been part of several teams on numerous activities and find that this situation happens rarely but I have seen teams that are just unreal. The determination, the drive, the fun, and the confidence rolled into one. Being a part of a team like that is rare.

    Some of the things I noticed when this happens is:

    a) team participants immediately “feel” or recognize the synergy which, in turns, pushes them to continue. for some reason they all sense the rarity simultaneously and in turn know they shouldn’t waste the opportunity.

    b) something got the ball rolling. sometimes it could have been an outstanding leader who just happened to push the right buttons to get each person fired up. Other times it could have been a rare moment where working with one another struck a chord…. a harmony… a resination within the group…

    c) though it takes the right people and a great leader, most of the energy derives from the relationships of all people working together causing an enormous amount of synergy, where if all participants worked alone would not have produced the same results.

    Reply
  26. ME Strauss says

    May 29, 2006 at 6:14 AM

    Hi Steve,
    Sorry I missed — phone call with Milton . . .

    You are so right on all three and about what we all say that it’s really rare. This was my experience of such a place.

    a) I think the team has to notice or it just can’t happen. It’s got something to do with what they call chemistry. Don’t you think? That personality mix that allows for give and take without the thought of who’s the center of attention is important. The team has to care about each other as people, plain and simple, whether they like each other or not.

    b) Something to get the ball rolling can be so subtle as one win, one new person, one chalenge they all want, or one loss that breaks their hearts together. it’s kind of that common enemy thing. “let’s win one for the Gipper” Most folks would rather be off on a quest than just be working. At some point, we all realize how much of our lives we spend working and want it to have meaning, When you have a) and can add b) it’s almost magic — the laughter starts.

    c) I think that the great leader might have brought the folks in hoping and he or she can stand aside and let the rest happen, maybe even channel it some, but the most impact he or she has is that of avoiding negatives.The leader can bring things up, stop or remove negative forces, can model, but cannot be or make the group be anything the group hasn’t to become. The leader is like a gardener. He or she can change and amend the soil. pull weeds, try to trim trees to let in more sunlight, but the plants still have some control over whether they grow.

    I remember how devasted we all were when we knew it was ending . . . we were like family of kids whose paren’ts had been killed in a car crash.

    Reply

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