Smells Like Spring Spirit 🌼

Today is the 1st of the month. Maybe it's because my son looks like Bizzy Bone when he picks his hair out, or I'm celebrating the first month to welcome Spring (for us Northern Hemispherers). Or maybe it’s something else—something from the last millennium. 🤔

1995: Bone Thugs-n-Harmony dropped their timeless single "1st of tha Month," and that same year Professor Sumantra Ghoshal, a gifted teacher, prolific author, and visionary management guru, delivered his legendary The Smell of the Place speech at the World Economic Forum. At its core, his message was simple yet profound: Context shapes behavior.

Ghoshal’s speech remains one of the most authentic explanations of how to cultivate vibrant energy in the workplace. He argued that just as our environment influences our energy and actions, the culture of an organization shapes how people behave.

Now, imagine a springtime stroll through Fontainebleau forest. 🌳

"Go with a firm desire to have a leisurely walk and you can't! The moment you enter the forest, there is something about the crispness of the air, the smell of the trees... you'd want to jump, you'd want to jog, you'd want to catch a branch, run..." — Professor Ghoshal

Now, contrast that with the suffocating weight of downtown Calcutta (now Kolkata) in July—102 degrees with 99% humidity. The heat drains your energy before you’ve even begun. I personally love that type of weather, but let's keep the context on culture. 🤓

Organizations benefit from the best versions of employees when they nurture the context. People don’t choose to be disengaged or uninspired—they adapt to the smell of the place.

Is the air pungent with constraint, compliance, control, and contract?

Or is it energizing with the scent of trust, discipline, support, and growth?

If your growth context isn’t served at the career table, then maybe it’s time to go to the kitchen—to design, create, and prepare what you need. Or perhaps it’s time to find a healthier establishment. We've all seen it—"culture eats strategy for breakfast."

"You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems." — James Clear

So, how do we bring Fontainebleau's spring wherever we go? The answer starts now.

🌼 Golden Trifecta of Spring Spirit:

1. Observe: What does your work, home, or personal context smell like? Is it energizing or depleting? Take notes on the cultural norms.

   
   

2. Implement: Shift your leadership approach, reorganize your space, or adopt a ritual that uplifts energy—start small.

   
   

3. Sustain: Just as nature renews itself, so must we. Self-awareness, personal accountability, and small adjustments keep things fresh.

So ask yourself: What type of smell do you seek? And what are you willing to do to help create, sustain, and nurture it? 🚀

The choice is yours. 😎

🔹 Indian School of Business Tribute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wj2V4trpU_4

© Nuri Dimler 2025