Join For the Mission
The impact of direct managers
There is a saying that folks sign up to serve in the military for patriotism but what they ultimately fight for is their buddies. The buddies they make while suffering together through training, hardship, difficulties, away from families, and more. The ones that are laying in the mud beside them, patrolling in the rain with them, rolling up their sleeves to clean and service the millionth piece of equipment, and sitting around in free moments joking about what their lives used to look like. One signs up because of the larger noble vision of wanting to serve a higher purpose but they end up staying and doing the job because of the friendships that they form with squadmates.
When it comes to building great teams, few forces are as powerful as shared adversity. The military has long understood this, basic training isn’t just about preparing soldiers physically, it’s about forging unshakable bonds between people who suffer, sweat, and succeed together. That same dynamic, often called the squad effect, plays out far beyond the battlefield. Whether it’s a startup pushing to find product market fit or a team navigating a large reorg after a layoff, the crucible of difficulty can become the birthplace of deep trust and lasting cohesion.
A growing body of research supports this. A 2018 study in Frontiers in Psychology found that when teams endure shared adverse events, it enhances supportive behaviors and actually boosts creativity. The researchers observed that hardship doesn’t just unite people, it primes them to collaborate more openly, offer help more readily, and take creative risks together. Another meta-analysis, published in SAGE Open, revealed a strong positive link between team cohesion and performance, especially in contexts where teams had worked through challenges as a group. This echoes the idea that shared difficulty can sharpen not just resolve, but can improve outcomes as well.
Even the emotional and psychological glue between teammates seems to be strengthened by adversity. A study in the Journal of Managerial Psychology found that cohesion and team satisfaction act as key mediators of trust, particularly in interdependent environments where members rely on each other under stress. And while sports teams might seem a far cry from product teams or corporate units, another study in Frontiers in Psychology analyzed team-building interventions in athletics and found that structured shared challenges were especially effective at improving cohesion.
The takeaway is clear. Adversity isn’t just something to endure, it’s something to leverage. When teams face it together, they often emerge more unified, more creative, and more committed to one another than before. Like soldiers who start off fighting for a flag and end up fighting for their squad, employees often begin their journey drawn by mission, but stay for the people they go through the trenches with.
"The struggle of life is one of our greatest blessings.” – Helen Keller
There is another saying that Tip O'Neill, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, is associated with, "all politics is local.” An example of this is during the 1982 Congressional election election season, O’Neill proposed a $1-billion jobs bill. Republican leader Robert H. Michel, from Peoria, Illinois, was against it. In response, O’Neill gave a speech broadcast in Peoria, explaining how the bill would help fix local infrastructure problems. He turned a big national policy debate into something personal and local by focusing on Michel’s own hometown. Just as voters are most influenced by local issues, team members are shaped by what’s closest to them: their manager. While a company’s brand, history, and leadership may attract talent, an employee’s day-to-day experience is overwhelmingly defined by their direct manager. Culture and leadership aren’t abstract ideas, they’re lived realities shaped by the person they report to.
Managers are not just operational overseers, they are the living embodiment of an organization's culture. While mission statements and corporate values set the overarching tone, it's the daily interactions between managers and their teams that truly shape the work environment. This perspective is supported by the leader–member exchange (LMX) theory, which emphasizes the importance of the relationships between leaders and their subordinates. Research has shown that high-quality LMX relationships, characterized by mutual trust and respect, have been linked to increased job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and overall performance.
Further research by Fred Luthans and colleagues on psychological capital (PsyCap) underscores the manager's role in fostering a positive organizational culture. Their studies highlight that managers who cultivate hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism within their teams not only enhance individual well-being but also drive improved performance and satisfaction. For instance, a meta-analysis by Avey et al. found that PsyCap is positively associated with desirable employee attitudes, behaviors, and performance, and negatively related to undesirable outcomes like stress and turnover intentions.
In essence, while organizational culture may be conceptualized at the top, it's actualized at the managerial level. Managers, through their daily interactions and leadership styles, serve as the frontline ambassadors of culture, directly influencing how employees perceive and engage with their work environment. Their ability to build strong relationships and foster positive psychological resources within their teams is crucial for translating organizational values into lived experiences.
The adage "people don't leave companies; they leave managers" underscores a critical truth in organizational dynamics. While competitive salaries and benefits are essential, the quality of the relationship between employees and their direct supervisors often plays a more significant role in retention. Employees who feel valued, understood, and supported by their managers are more likely to remain committed to their organizations.
A compelling real-world example of this principle can be found in the UK hospitality industry as reported in the Financial Times. Facing a persistent staff shortage, many hospitality businesses have turned to the baby boomer generation to fill roles traditionally occupied by younger workers. Companies like Fuller's have actively recruited older employees, recognizing that their life experience and interpersonal skills contribute positively to team dynamics and customer service. These older workers often serve as mentors to younger staff, fostering a supportive work environment that enhances overall job satisfaction and reduces turnover. At the Swinton Park Hotel, for instance, a 68-year-old concierge, Trevor Wilson Smith, returned to the workforce not out of financial necessity but to stay active and engaged. His presence and experience have been invaluable in mentoring younger colleagues and providing exceptional service to guests.
This approach aligns with findings from a 2024 study published in Sustainability, which highlights that high-quality leader–member exchange (LMX) relationships, that we talked about above, significantly improve employees’ adjustment to their work environment, reducing exhaustion and lowering turnover intentions. By fostering strong relationships rooted in trust and support, managers create a workplace where employees feel understood, energized, and committed, ultimately strengthening retention and decreasing the likelihood of burnout or departure
While strategic initiatives and incentives play roles in employee retention, the day-to-day interactions and relationships between managers and their teams are fundamental. Organizations that prioritize and invest in these relationships are more likely to cultivate a loyal and committed workforce.
At the heart of every strong organization are two intertwined forces: a meaningful mission and the human relationships that carry it forward. People may join a company drawn by its purpose, its bold promises, its vision of impact. But what keeps them in the fight day after day, through the inevitable setbacks and uncertainties, is the web of trust, support, and camaraderie built locally, between teammates, including, between an employee and their manager.
The evidence is overwhelming. Shared adversity bonds teams in ways that no amount of perks or slogans ever could. High-quality leader–member relationships drive not just satisfaction but resilience, innovation, and commitment. Managers are not just stewards of performance, they are the day-to-day stewards of culture itself. Their choices, to encourage or dismiss, to invest or to neglect, become the lived experience of every individual they lead.
For leaders at every level of an organization, the call to action is clear: do not treat culture as a corporate poster or a branding exercise. Treat it as a relationship. Invest in your managers, in how they build trust, foster growth, and navigate adversity with their teams. Teach them that culture is transmitted not through town halls but through one-on-ones, not through mission statements but through everyday acts of leadership.
In the end, people join for the mission, but they stay and even fight for the folks directly around them. If you want to build something enduring, start with the relationships.