The Importance of Culture: The Root System of Lasting Leadership

At Maverick Leadership Group, we believe culture is the strong root structure that makes an organization thrive. Just like a tree cannot grow without deep, resilient roots, no company can succeed without a healthy, aligned culture.

One of the values we emphasize is ownership. We don’t just want people to participate—we want them to take ownership of the mission and vision. Ownership changes the way people think, act, and lead.

So how do we build a culture of ownership? Here are four principles every business leader can apply:

1. Be Focused

What you do matters—because you matter. Great organizations aren’t built on the brilliance of a few, but on the dedication of many. Every day, every decision, every effort contributes to long-term success.

Focus also requires perspective. You’re not just working for a boss or a company—you’re working for a mission. That clarity can carry you through challenges.

Consider NASA’s Apollo program. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy set what seemed like an impossible goal: land a man on the moon and return him safely to Earth by the end of the decade. At the time, NASA had only achieved short suborbital flights. Yet every engineer, technician, and contractor aligned around the mission.

There’s a famous story of a janitor at NASA who, when asked by Kennedy what he was doing, replied: “I’m helping put a man on the moon.” He understood something essential—no matter your role, when you’re focused on the mission, everything you do has purpose.

That’s the power of focus. Mission isn’t just important—it’s everything. The best organizations are unapologetically mission-oriented.

2. Be Resilient

Business is never a straight path. Markets shift. Competitors move faster. Plans fall apart. Resilience is the ability to take the hit and keep moving forward.

History gives us a powerful metaphor: when Hernán Cortés and his men landed in the New World, he scuttled his ships. They were old, rotting, and unsafe. If his crew tried to retreat, they would have been lost at sea. His message was clear: the only way forward is forward.

That’s resilience. It’s the decision to keep going when retreat feels safer.

Resilient leaders also know how to reframe adversity. Think of the “carrot, egg, or coffee bean” analogy: when dropped into boiling water, the carrot softens, the egg hardens, but the coffee bean transforms the water itself. Which one will you be when pressure rises?

3. Be Committed

Commitment is about discipline and consistency. The most effective leaders don’t just chase short-term wins—they stay focused on long-term outcomes, even when the path gets tough.

This often means doubling down on three things:

• Your purpose: Staying true to your mission, even when resistance comes.

• Your growth: Committing to ongoing learning and professional development.

• Your team: Supporting colleagues and building trust that lasts.

Commitment builds credibility, and credibility builds influence.

4. Be One

No company succeeds without unity. Misalignment between teams, departments, or leadership levels can quietly erode even the most promising businesses.

Research from McKinsey shows that companies with highly aligned leadership teams are more than twice as likely to deliver above-average financial performance. Unity doesn’t mean everyone thinks the same way—it means everyone is pulling in the same direction.

In business, alignment is the difference between wasted energy and breakthrough momentum.

Rooted Culture, Lasting Impact

Culture is not a slogan on the wall—it’s the root system that sustains growth, even in storms. By being focused, resilient, committed, and unified, leaders create a culture where people don’t just show up to work—they show up with ownership.

At Maverick Leadership Group, that’s our challenge and our invitation: don’t just participate. Take ownership. Because the mission is too important to be left to chance.