Culture. a Human Petri dish

The Petri dish is named for the German biologist, Julius Richard Petri. It is a shallow glass cylinder used by mad scientists to culture cells. The process requires nourishment - a warm goo phase - that is inoculated with the microbes expected to multiply. Famously, Penicillin was birthed from bacteria run amok in a stack of unwashed Petri dishes. Surely many useful products such as beer, Pepto-Bismol, Armor All, and duct tape were invented in a Petri dish. 

I was recently reminded how important culture is to multiplying talent when Mary and I attended a dinner in Austin hosted by EY to honor our daughter, Danielle, being promoted to partner. As outsiders, we were instantly struck by how genuinely joyful Danielle’s associates—some partners, most staff—were for her and how kind they were to us.

Mike, the Managing Partner for the local office, give a brief talk encouraging Danielle to recognize her new role and embrace her primary responsibility: to develop others. Comments around our table showed a belief that the Austin office had a special level of cooperation and teamwork in an industry that sometimes forces internal competition for revenue. Mike has created a healthy, positive, nourishing culture by his leadership.

Knowing the rigorous effort required from Danielle on a difficult and occassionally trying path showed me that aggressively developing talent is not a buzzword at EY. I was happy to thank Mike for sustaining a corporate culture that helped our daughter reach for her potential.

Now she will understand what Jack Welch said:

“Until we lead it is all about developing ourselves, but leading is all about developing others.”

Perpetual growth is a biblical principle. Notice the endgame for Christians in Ephesians 4:13: to become perfect men and women as measured by the stature of the fullness of Jesus Christ. That level of achievement will only come from intense development and perpetual growth (2 Peter 3:18).

What about you and me? Is our family, team, department, division, company, congregation, class, or organization a human Petri dish? A place of purposeful and unlimited growth? 

The first step is to create the proper culture.