What is your organization’s origin story?
How do the current mission and culture compare to the founder’s original vision?
If you’re trying to rally employees or change corporate culture, it’s worth finding out.
A company’s origin story can say more about it’s core values than a word-smithed corporate mission statement ever could. Fast Company recently published a great explanation of why by contributor and IDEO alum Bill Shapiro. It’s worth the read.
I saw Audi of America use this concept brilliantly during a road-show they put on to launch nationwide customer centricity initiative some years back. At the start of the event, the hosts shared a simple, surprising fact – the brand’s name “Audi” literally means “listen.”
I was at the NYC version of this event and could feel how powerful this revelation was for the ~1000 employees there. A stunned silence and collective “oh, really?” rippled through the crowd.
Dealership owners, sales managers, and auto technicians alike stopped to reflect on their everyday behavior. A more traditional way of making this point – a slide reading “listening to customers is in our DNA” – would not have had the same impact. The fact that I even remember the moment 10+ years later shows how powerful the right origin story can be.
I’d love to hear what other origin stories have stuck with people through the years, whether it’s your own company or not. Is there a gem of corporate folklore you love?
