Adapted from an article by Sean Glaze, Michael Hyatt Leadership Consulting, March 2019

Team motivation is often the result of one person being bold enough to shake up the status quo with an extraordinary work ethic or enthusiasm that spreads to the entire group.

Surprisingly, one of the best illustrations of how to change your team culture can be found at the San Francisco Zoo. In 2003, something remarkable happened there that carries a leadership lesson for all of us.

It involved the behavior of forty-six penguins that had been long-time residents of the zoo and the impact that a few transplanted penguins had on the original group.

Penguins are supposed to swim. In fact, those original forty-six penguins had been taking regular leisurely dips in the pool to cool off occasionally and make sure their feathers remained sleek. Life was easy and unchallenging.

Then things changed dramatically

Six new penguins moved in from Ohio. Upon their arrival, these newcomers jumped into the pool and swam. And they swam. And swam some more. In fact, the six penguins from Ohio kept swimming laps all day long. Day after day.

They didn’t fight with or nag the original residents to join them or change their attitudes—they just went about their business of swimming around the pool.

The new penguins started early each morning and kept swimming in circles until they would stagger out of the pool, exhausted, at dusk. What was most amazing, though, is that those six penguins soon convinced the original forty-six to change their leisurely lifestyle and join them.

What was the secret to the Ohio penguins’ impact?

Sometimes, the shock of a new idea or way of doing things inspires people to live up to others’ expectations and levels of performance. Given the chance, all penguins want to show their abilities, leadership skills, and penguin-hood.

The Ohio penguins motivated the original forty-six penguins to change their toxic team culture—and left us several lessons:

  1. Be willing to try new ideas. This can shake up how people have done things in the past and lead to change.
  2. Show rather than tell. Penguins (and people) are less open to advice and suggestions than you would like to think. They need to see it and be given a challenge to live up to in order to change.
  3. Roll up your sleeves. If six little penguins can turn a group of 46 lazy homebodies into workout monsters, just imagine how you might influence the group you have been assigned. Sometimes the most influential thing we can do is roll up our sleeves and work as hard as we want others to. Spend time sharing your vision, building relationships, and “swimming your laps” at your zoo. Soon, others will rise to the challenge and join you.
  4. Try team-building events. One of the best ways to forge better relationships, clarify your team vision, and build leadership or communication skills is with a team-building event. It gives your people the opportunity to experience challenges that prepare them to collaborate and learn from each other.
  5. Take responsibility. If you are looking to change a toxic team culture in your organization, or if you just need to give your people a chance to address a teamwork issue, take responsibility for what you can control: your own effort and example.

Sometimes a company, team, or even a group of penguins find themselves in need of leadership that is willing to show the way instead of making demands.

By taking action and setting an example for others to emulate, you improve your culture, and give others permission to join in.