Honor Your Roots to Build a Future-Proof Culture

When a century-old materials science firm faced a fast-moving, digital world, the incoming CEO knew a full cultural teardown would backfire. He started by mapping what employees loved most: hands-on problem solving, cross-functional trust, and that iconic founder’s spirit of experimentation. Rather than scrapping it all, he convened “heritage hackathons” where staff wrote down proudest moments and the values behind them.

From these sessions emerged a clear Culture Compass: Do Right, Experiment Boldly, Collaborate Freely, Serve Our World. Each pillar was written on weathered steel plates in the lobby—symbols that reminded every person arriving why the company existed, rooted in its trailblazing past.

In design sessions, engineers referenced Operation Wetordry—the 1920 invention that saved the fledgling sandpaper business—as proof that listening to a single customer need can ignite innovation. Managers used that story to fuel new product sprints, and within a year, revenue from breakthrough materials rose by 40%.

Recognizing the past didn’t halt progress—it lit the spark. The culture Compass became the North Star for every new initiative, preserving what made the firm great while propelling it into its next chapter.

Imagine you’re standing in your main hallway pointing to big plaques of your top strengths—say teamwork, risk-taking, or whimsy. Remind people of the legendary successes that grew from those traits. Then ask, ‘How do we do this this week?’ By weaving those stories into daily work, you preserve the best of your past as you innovate for tomorrow, so start a heritage hackathon this month.