If you have ever watched YouTube videos, you might have seen one about a bunch of crabs in a bucket. The crabs scramble to get out by crawling on top of each other to get to the top. Fascinatingly enough, once one crab gets to the top, the other crabs pull them back in! The group keeps all members in the bucket, instead of focusing on getting out. Instead of improving their surroundings, the group of crabs keep everyone stuck in the muck.
Turtles, on the other hand… if there is a turtle who has gotten turned over onto its back, and is scrambling to turn back over, other turtles will rush to its rescue. They, as a group, will help that turtle turn back over and land on their feet. The success of one equals the success of all.
If you want to create a thriving, synergistic and productive culture in your organization, you must fire the crabs and find more turtles. No one gets to the top without a lot of help and support, and getting to the next level isn’t easy. Having just one crab on your team can make the difference between success and failure.
POWER THOUGHT: Ask yourself this question: does your company culture revolve around turtles or crabs?