“Who invented money?”  The question caught me off-guard.  My six year old son asked me this yesterday and I took time to explain we don’t know the individual who invented money, but money has its roots in barter and exchange transactions that must go back a long ways.

My six year old knows who invented the airplane (the Wright brothers, of course).  He is learning this week about Gregor Mendel, the man who discovered genetics.  So I can see why he assumed someone must have invented money.  His question led me to think about another question:  Who invented culture?

This is not just a philosophical question.  I’m also not asking the same question anthropologists might help us with in looking at specific ethnic or national cultures.  I’m curious about who invents the culture that every company or organization seems to develop over time.  Have you ever thought about it?

My observations have led me to one conclusion:  company cultures are usually originated by the founder(s) and always seem to be shaped by leaders.  Leaders are not just the people at the head or top of a company; they are the ones who have significant influence on the basic direction of a company.  Look at how the leaders think and act, listen to what they say or write, examine how they use their influence and you’ll get some clear ideas about where culture comes from and how it is shaped.