Page 36 - Make Work Great

You . . . as the Seed

power to change. Like all good culture builders, she had built her
miniculture slowly over time, developing a stable base of people with
whom she shared mutual trust and support. She was routinely overt
about tasks and constantly sought clarity within her relationships.
And it worked. Her reach was large enough to change the working
environment for me, a new employee who was—physically and met-
aphorically—a thousand miles from the rest of her organization.
I had no idea of my good fortune in being allowed to join Emma’s
crystal. Being part of that miniculture allowed me to succeed when
the surrounding world never would have let me. Her crystal was ready
for me, and I was ready for it; that is to say, she set the precedents,
and I did the work. And the impact lives on today, years later. My
career success at that company snowballed, leading to many more
successes and opportunities for growth. Perhaps most telling is the
fact that I still count Emma as a friend, even so many years later. If
she ever called to ask for anything, I wouldn’t hesitate to provide it.
Of course, Emma benefi ted too. Her reputation and infl uence
both grew: not only had a member of her team solved a diffi cult
technical and organizational problem, but she had predicted it in
advance. She’d told the rest of the organization that I would do it.
When I did, her credibility got the same boost that mine did. As
the latest addition to her cultural crystal, I added both reach and
stability.

Building Your Crystal
Crystal building is like investing: it pays off if you do it consistently
and patiently. Given the transitory nature of today’s workplace, it
may well be the most important investment you make—not only in
your company’s future but in your own. Your crystal may well outlive
your employer! Yet it needn’t be painfully serious nor exhaustively
time-consuming. Crystal building is a discipline you practice a little
at a time to slowly create a major shift.
Think of this book as your guide to the craft. It outlines rules
and strategies, defi nes the parameters, and offers tactics to help you

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