Creating Culture

I was listening to Andy Crouch yesterday on my way to a meeting in Philly. (Thanks to Jennifer Hudson for the free cd’s) He was sharing on culture creation. He made a very interesting point I have never heard so simplified. He said that any big movement starts with three people.

These three people are the ones that cast the vision. Then they get a group of about twelve who buy in and help shape the vision. Then the group inspire about one hundred and twenty who go tell the world.

This is similar to Jim Collins’ flywheel concept and Seth Godin’s tribe theory. They are all right. The formula is powerful servant leadership, vision that goes against the grain and a strategy that engages a crowd to passion to work. 

PS. It takes approximately (unless your Facebook):

10 years to get out of start up for an organization

15 years to become an overnight success

30 years to become a powerhouse

…only if you can keep a tribe of people following you and smiling.

 There is no short cut to building a brand that customers promote more than the company does.