‘Rituals reflect, remind, reinforce and reignite the central story. They make it real in a vital, visceral way. From induction ceremonies to first caps, the haka to the hierarchies - they are the framework that holds the belief system in place.
When the All Blacks perform the haka - or stand up on the bus to Wales and shout - they are connecting to something greater than themselves. They are making the metaphor their own, connecting their personal story to that of the team.’
Share other company rituals that define an organisation you admire?
My old firm used to have a proud tradition of welcoming new arrivals (new starters were asked to present themselves to everyone for 5 minutes) but there was an equal obsession with leavers. I think it might have started because there were two or three really funny people in the company. When people were leaving someone would say 'we're getting Andy or Vicki to do the speech'. The speeches gathered a few hundred people a time, quite often had props, photos, songs. They were in many way living eulogies - and while no one would leave to get one , hearing them (about people who are obliviously leaving) strangely made you more bonded to the company.
Amazing - we actually had a podcast on that very thing. Andy Puleston used to work at Radio 1 and said epic leaving speeches were almost part of their culture too. The podcast is here - it's a good listen, actually
When I first went to work for an American company I was surprised at how much time they took to communicate precisely every rule and regulation. Everything was formal. In the UK I think we have traditions and rituals that often live and die with the manager responsible. Like if you said to me 'the England football team do something with new players' my clear expectation is that it would have started with Gareth Southgate and will end with whoever replaces him. There's no longevity, it's just about the person doing it. As a result it makes it harder to build legacy here I think. (I might be wrong on this)
My old firm used to have a proud tradition of welcoming new arrivals (new starters were asked to present themselves to everyone for 5 minutes) but there was an equal obsession with leavers. I think it might have started because there were two or three really funny people in the company. When people were leaving someone would say 'we're getting Andy or Vicki to do the speech'. The speeches gathered a few hundred people a time, quite often had props, photos, songs. They were in many way living eulogies - and while no one would leave to get one , hearing them (about people who are obliviously leaving) strangely made you more bonded to the company.
Amazing - we actually had a podcast on that very thing. Andy Puleston used to work at Radio 1 and said epic leaving speeches were almost part of their culture too. The podcast is here - it's a good listen, actually
https://eatsleepworkrepeat.com/rituals-emotions-and-food/
When I first went to work for an American company I was surprised at how much time they took to communicate precisely every rule and regulation. Everything was formal. In the UK I think we have traditions and rituals that often live and die with the manager responsible. Like if you said to me 'the England football team do something with new players' my clear expectation is that it would have started with Gareth Southgate and will end with whoever replaces him. There's no longevity, it's just about the person doing it. As a result it makes it harder to build legacy here I think. (I might be wrong on this)