#davesdailychallenge (76): Culture Series Part 5. As a great forest can grow from a single sapling, a great culture can grow from the simplest of habits. The principle of scarcity, in a general sense, refers to stripping something down to the true essentials in order to achieve a desired level of effectiveness or positive gain. One can then add to that layer of essentialism little at a time but not so much or fast that the essential qualities of the thing (process, person, company, etc…) is lost. This applies to all organizations regardless of whether you belong to a Fortune 500 business, non-profit, elite sports franchise, small entrepreneurial venture, or college student group. In our discussion of culture development in your organization, this principle of scarcity applies most directly to the everyday habits that define the members of your team. Do your teammates do the right thing regardless of whether or not someone else is watching them? Does your sorority sister take ownership of a mistake and use it as a learning moment or does she displace blame onto others? Does your department executive take an opportunity on a recurring basis to authentically check in with their people about the things they care most about? These questions illustrate habits. These habits are key to an effective organizational culture and if these habits aren’t present in your organization I recommend you look at how the principle of scarcity can help you and your team. You can’t do the big things right until you do the little things right. The little things, one example being the habits we’re discussing here, lead to the big things and they are the base elements that great cultures are built upon. The good news is that regardless of whether or not you are in an established position of leadership within your organization you can begin to chip away at the layers of your organization that aren’t positively contributing to the team’s overall culture. Work towards getting your team back to that layer of essentialism that defines your core ethos and build upon that. The principle of scarcity can help you create something truly remarkable. Good luck my friends!