“The Sauder School of Snakes”: the term that was born on Reddit has worked its way into the vocabulary of UBC and non-UBC students alike. Those who use it would probably say it’s just a joke and not intended to be taken seriously. However, embedded into every joke is a little grain of truth about how the culture of Sauder is viewed by those inside and outside the faculty. Despite there being no classes called “Manipulation 101”, there seems to be something about UBC’s business school that gives it this unique title.

Being directly exposed to Sauder’s values and people, I find it difficult to believe that we really are “snakes”. By this, I mean that the majority of people in my faculty are giving, people-oriented, and hold strong moral and ethical standards. Even in my short time here, I’ve already been exposed to classes that focus on ethics and numerous clubs that use business to make a positive social impact. With an emphasis on progressive enterprise that aims to give instead of take, the question remains: why does the stereotype remain stronger than ever?

The answer, in part, lies with selective perception. Among the 4000 Sauder students, there are some that are purely motivated by profit and will use any means necessary to get it. There are definitely bad experiences to be had involving these students, and many may subconsciously filter out conflicting evidence and focus on what confirms their beliefs. This confirmation bias perpetuates stereotypes of many kinds, and occurs more readily in this arena because the stereotyping of school faculties is not commonly thought about.

It is unlikely that the “Sauder School of Snakes” will be going anywhere anytime soon. The sentiments behind the joke have been around for a lot longer than the meme itself. Though the name is relatively harmless, it is wise to consider the phenomenon of self-fulfilling prophecy, which can turn a funny post on Facebook into a real change in the culture that Sauder prides itself on.

The term “snake” is being used to joke about Sauder students as manipulative and backstabbing.

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Humility is a necessity for effective leadership. In his blog, organizational behaviour professor Marino Dasmarinas discusses the connection between being humble and being a powerful leader. While power and humility may sound like they contradict each other, Professor Dasmarinas suggests that one is actually an indicator of the other. By being willing to listen to others and admit their own shortcomings, leaders connect better with their employees and provide an environment that encourages employee engagement.

Being humble is a trait of a great leader, but so is confidence. There are concerns that leaders will look weak if they are so willing to admit their faults and ask for input from others. It is often misconstrued that the two traits are opposites, but the two can and should coexist. For example, in high school I had a friend who was the successful founder and organizer of numerous clubs. It was undoubtable that she was an amazing leader, and I attended some general club meetings and some executive meetings to learn more about how she ran each organization. What amazed me was her willingness to allow others to have input in decisions and her openness to critiques. Response from club members was not only respect, but also organizational citizenship behaviour and an excitement to be engaged.

Being confident about your own value and worth as a leader enables a person to be humble. A person can be certain about what skills and ideas they offer to an organization, while still having a desire to learn from the input of others. This is the type of leader that inspires action and drive within an organization, as opposed to obedience and automatism. Unfortunately, this is not taught in schools or work trainings as much as it should be, which is a huge reason why leadership is often so insecure about letting people think they are weak. A true leader knows they can do their job well, but also knows that there is room to grow and much to learn from those that surround them.

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Zappos is known for a number of things: trendy shoes, fast online shopping, and a call centre that some argue has the best culture in the world. As Julia discusses in her COMM292 blog, their culture is definitely unconventional. Their boss sits in a cubicle identical to the rest of the company, impromptu parties aren’t uncommon, and overall, everyone seems happy. In fact, there have been numerous articles and even a book on the wild success of this company, which the CEO attributes mostly to their unique emphasis on culture.

It is undeniable that this culture has worked exceedingly well for this specific company. But if this informal and nontraditional way of thinking is the key to a rapidly growing company, then why has it not been adopted by every company? The focus should be on the culture fit to the employees. The employees at Zappos are carefully selected through extensive interview process, which is comprised of a section entirely dedicated to checking the culture fit. In another company, the Zappos’ culture itself may present an issue for their operations. For example, the noise level of an open-concept desk arrangement may make it difficult for a company that requires intense focus to be efficient and productive.

Almost any culture can be a conducive to a successful company. To make the culture work, the company should focus on being consistent with their culture and finding employees that fit their culture. Being consistent with the company values will make the culture stronger. If it isn’t consistent, mixed messages are sent to the employees and makes it easier for deviations from the desired atmosphere. Finding employees that fit the culture of the company also contributes to the strength of the culture. More importantly, having employees that all fit the company makes the employees happier at work. Happiness is often underrated in the corporate world, but an employee that is satisfied with their job and loves the environment they’re working in is more likely to engage in organizational citizenship behaviour: going above and beyond the expectations set for them. Regardless of the culture a company has, its emphasis has the power to determine the success or failure of the company.

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