The Wind That Propels All Boats
Cohesive social capital has created personal fortunes and altered the course of history.
We may be familiar with the concept of “human capital” — the value of people as productive assets in an organization. People individually bring the value of their training, experience, skills, and expertise. The human capital of the organization is the sum total of the value brought by all those individuals.
But what is the value of the “social capital” of the organization — the cooperative bonds between those people? Trust, productive conversations, a willingness to help others, and the ability to share and develop ideas creates immeasurable value. Strong social capital not only enhances the organization’s image and external relationships; it also leverages the value of human capital exponentially.
Cohesive social capital has created personal fortunes and altered the very course of history. From industry, to science, to engineering, to physics, to art, to political initiatives, strong social capital has been the intangible ingredient for breath-taking achievement.
The remarkable accomplishments of the founding fathers of the United States were achieved largely through the strength of their social capital. Many were brilliant by themselves, but together they were boldly ingenious. Certainly, they had disagreements. But they had one uniting common mission that kept them cohesively on course in the creation of a new democratic nation.
The impressionist painters of nineteenth century Europe collaborated harmoniously to change the course of European painting. They created some of the most delightful and engaging images ever painted. Monet and Renoir, two of the leading impressionists, worked so closely together that at times their work was indistinguishable.
Teams at Lockheed’s “Skunk Works” created some of the most astonishing aircraft ever made. They worked collegially in an abandoned warehouse where engineers and technicians worked side by side to develop ideas, resolve problems and refine designs.
The artists who created the legendary film Snow White — the first full-length animated film ever made — also worked creatively and collaboratively together. Walt Disney said that he was merely the bee that cross-pollinated ideas among artists on the team.
All of these groups attained extraordinary success by capitalizing on the freely available asset too often ignored in organizations — social capital. Engaging the magic and power of social capital — the ability of groups to work cooperatively and harmoniously together — elevates every endeavor.
Like the wind that propels all sailboats, social capital uplifts the value of everyone’s ideas, contributions, and productivity. Organizations that amplify their inherent capabilities through the renewing breeze of social capital will discover that they are capable of far more than they ever thought possible.
J. G. Johnston is co-founder of Life Atlas