Ignite Culture

Except for the woman in the third row clearing her throat, the crowd gathered on that cold January day was completely still and silent. The group’s tired, skeptical eyes were fixated on the auditorium’s giant stage, where COO Sam Smith stood in the spotlight looking like a small child wearing an expensive suit. He had been speaking for about twenty minutes, shifting uncomfortably with each revelation.

“I am sorry . . . really sorry . . . for all of it.” His head dropped, and he stared at the floor. “I have let you all down, and I apologize for that . . . I . . .” His voice cracked. “I . . . didn’t know what a jerk I was being. I didn’t realize how awful I was treating all of you.” Smith took a long, deep breath as the tears began to flow. “I see it now. I know I was making everyone’s life miserable. I see what I did to you, and I promise I will do better. We will all do better. This company will do better by all of you. Things are going to be very different from here on out . . .”

The people of C-Corp collectively blinked. Was this really their COO on stage? Could this be the same tough, driven, rude, insensitive boss they’d all kowtowed to for so many years? The man on the stage looked like him, but the words coming out of his mouth were completely foreign. Sam’s boss was having a different reaction. His fists and jaw were clenched. His whole body was saying, What the hell is Sam doing in front of C-Corp’s people? Why is he being so damn weak? This is not a company where grown men cry!

A single person at the back of the auditorium tentatively began clapping, then a few more people. In a matter of a few seconds, hundreds of C-Corp employees were clapping and rising up out of their seats. A muffled “Yeah!” could be heard scattered throughout the crowd of three hundred. Others said, “It’s about time!” Such statements grew louder as people patted each other on the back or even hugged. Some were crying. A sense of joy and hope electrified the room. Sam Smith nodded, stroked his hand through his gray hair, and gave a sad smile. “I promise,” he whispered with conviction into the microphone. These were the last words he said as he walked off the stage.

The next Monday at C-Corp headquarters, the mood was upbeat and energetic. Sam’s speech was the culmination of more than eighteen months of work with C-Corp’s team to fix its culture, and the fruits of that labor were finally paying off. Numerous past and future meetings to fix the company’s broken, toxic culture were on the calendar. Sensitivity training for the executive team was well underway. A buzz of conversation about change, growth, and a new way of doing things filled the halls. Instead of being tense and stressed, as they had been for years, employees were smiling and showing renewed enthusiasm for their work. A new era was being ushered in at C-Corp.