Posted on September 1st, 2010
Last week, I took my twin nieces to Mt. Rushmore. (That’s us in the photo.) I was awestruck by the powerful sight of four of our greatest presidents carved into a granite mountainside. It got me thinking about monuments, their power, and their meaning in our culture.
Monuments are imbued with meaning by their creators. Mt. Rushmore is a memorial to American history and instills hope and is meant to represent a basic belief in the decency of our country and its government. But I believe Mt. Rushmore holds greater power than imagined by its artist because of the personal meaning for each individual who visits. For me, the monument represents America’s values of freedom, liberty and opportunity. I can only imagine what it might mean to others: hope, strength, truth, justice, happiness, or possibility.
In organizations, we create monuments imbued with meaning that is intended to send a message, represent shared values, or align with the company vision. Sometimes the monuments are explicit, such as a sculpture of a company founder or a mural depicting major events in a company’s history. Other times, monuments are subtle reminders of important beliefs, such as a plaque on which are listed the company’s core values. More subtle still . . . a monument can be found in the form of company lore─a story told time and again. The important thing to remember for leaders who erect monuments (or perpetuate a company’s oral history) is to make sure they are inspirational. A monument endures when its meaning is universal and can stand the test of time.
· So, what monuments exist in your company?
· Do they inspire and appropriately represent your organization’s vision and values?
· What do they mean to you and others?
· How do they help your company progress and grow?
Lynae
