The "Me First" culture.

The "Me First" culture.

Where have you seen it?

Raise your hand if you’ve noticed this: There’s a long, stick-like item that projects from the left side of the steering column in every vehicle.

It’s a really simple device. It’s easy to use. It’s required by law. And, it’s designed to keep us safer on the road.

It’s called a “turn signal.”

Lately, I’ve noticed a phenomenon on the road. Either car manufacturers have stopped installing turn signals, or drivers have suddenly become unaware of how to use them.

If you feel the latter is the case, please widely share this simple, clearly illustrated page from wikiHow.

Or, maybe – it’s a signal of something else.

I call it the “Me First” culture. The behavior is all around us today. It has permeated politics, business and personal behavior. The latter can be observed in social media and –– lane changes without signaling.

The good news is that we can do something about it in our business cultures.

Taking the time to enable co-workers to understand each other can break down the desire to put self before team.

At The Involvement Practice, we have created some simple, yet powerful experiences that help team members be both vulnerable and authentic with each other. You can read more in our previous post about the power of authenticity. 

Be sure to integrate this into your next meeting or team off-site.

So, back to my example of Me First behavior on the road. Where else have you observed the Me First culture? Let me know by adding your comments below.

Thanks for being involved today,

Tim