Company Culture Starts with YOU

What is a company’s culture? The Merriam-Webster dictionary (I hate when people quote the dictionary, but it will make sense later!) describes culture as: the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization. While it is a great description, it’s too long for me to remember. I see culture as simply the lifeblood of the company. Sometimes culture can’t even be explained with words and is simply a shared passion. Without a strong culture, a business just seems like a hollow shell.

Cultures can be both positive and negative. They can be driven by CEOs, owners, managers, co-workers or even YOU. Cultures can spread as wide as an entire company or as narrow as a singular employee. I have worked for businesses on both ends of the spectrum and can report back that being on the side with a positive culture is a much more fulfilling position. When everybody in the company is on the same page, amazing things can happen. I heard a story about how JFK was visiting NASA headquarters for the first time in 1961. While touring the facility, he introduced himself to a janitor who was sweeping the floor and asked the man what he did at NASA. The Janitors response was “I’m helping put a man on the Moon!”. It’s a culture like that that achieves the impossible.

Over the past 10 plus years I have watched MTS grow from an inconceivable idea into a full-blown manufacturing plant that designs, builds, and sells world class earthmoving equipment. MTS equipment that is built in Elkader, IA is sold globally by some of the leading equipment dealers in the world. Seeds of success can be planted by one person, but it takes a culture (and a committed team) to grow that seed into a thriving organism.

In March of 2020 I was approached for a sales position at MTS. On April 6th, 2021 I celebrated my first year here and could not be happier. At times I may travel more and work later than I need to, but I do it because I enjoy the team I work with and the shared company culture. The Merriam-Webster dictionary also describes culture as: the act or process of cultivating living materials in conditions for growth (told you I would bring it back around).Today in our weekly email update another employee was congratulated for his 10-year anniversary with the company. It's people like him and the group that have been with this company from the start that have helped culture it into the business it is today.