7 Deep Roots for Unstoppable Corporate Culture: Lessons for Forward-Thinking Leaders

Insights from MicroAge CONNECT on Growing Teams That Thrive and Win Together

If you’ve ever been in a forest, you know the quiet can feel alive. Scientists have found that trees don’t just stand there growing silently on their own. Beneath the soil, they’re connected by a living network of mycelium—dubbed the Wood Wide Web—allowing them to share nutrients, signal distress, and even help each other thrive.

That’s how I’ve been reflecting on MicroAge CONNECT—arguably our most successful Sales Kickoff yet, capping off an incredible year of growth. This was more than just an event; it was living proof of the transformative power of connection and corporate culture. It served as a reminder—for me and, I hope, for all of us—that success is never a solo act. That’s exactly why this year’s theme, “Innovation Focused, People Powered,” was woven into every agenda item and every moment we shared.

Like the trees, our best work is underground, in the roots: the unseen collaboration, the trust between people, the connection among teammates, suppliers, and clients.

Stronger Together: The Roots Beneath Success

When we come together as a company, it’s never just to “sell more.” If that’s all we wanted, we could save the airfare and crank up Teams. But what gets lost behind screens is the network effect of human connection.
At this year’s CONNECT, I saw:

• Associates proudly living our BOLD values: Building and respecting relationships, Owning their actions, Leading with innovation, Delivering excellence.
• Suppliers adding strength and scale to what we can deliver.
• Leaders and rising voices stepping up to contribute, connect, and challenge thinking.

And more than anything, I saw proof that 1 + 1 doesn’t equal 2—it equals 100. Or even a million, when associates, suppliers, and clients align to solve what matters most.

That’s what Technology Reimagined™ really means. Reimagining isn’t about technology for its own sake. It’s about multiplying potential by working together, architecting growth that none of us could unlock alone.

Winning Through Relationships, Not Transactions

There’s a crucial mindset shift at play here. When we focus solely on “selling something,” we become just another voice in the crowd—indistinguishable from the countless tech companies relentlessly calling clients and competing for their attention. But when we center our efforts on solving real problems—big and small—everyone wins. Our clients succeed, our relationships deepen, and we set ourselves apart. This approach came through loud and clear during our client panel.

This is why CONNECT was built around collaboration across expertise. Sales is at its best when it draws on the brilliance of our subject-matter experts, our suppliers’ specialized knowledge, and our collective creativity.

This isn’t a game of lone wolves. It’s a networked forest where every root system matters.

A Highlight in Action: Pedal with Purpose

If you joined us at CONNECT, the “Pedal with Purpose” team challenge was hard to forget. Teams not only assembled bikes but also let their creativity shine, decorating helmets destined for families at Luke Air Force Base. The team tricycle races were a highlight—not just for the laughter or competitive spirit, but for how they brought out the magic of true collaboration.

When one group’s back wheels took flight mid-race, the room erupted with laughter, and—true to our corporate culture—someone immediately grabbed an extra trike so everyone could keep rolling. It was teamwork, resilience, and generosity in action. Not staged or architected for inauthentic effect, but from an impromptu reaction from the heart.

On the surface, yes, it looked like a fun team build. But scratch beneath, and it’s a perfect metaphor:

• A group of individuals working in sync, hands on handlebars, problem-solving in real time.
• The product wasn’t just bikes—it was joy, freedom, and impact for families in our community.

That’s what our corporate culture looks like at its best. Doing something together that’s bigger than ourselves.

Why Suppliers Are Yet Another Secret Multiplier

Let me take a moment to recognize our Suppliers. Too often in business, “supplier” sounds transactional. At MicroAge, we know the truth: our suppliers are not on the outside looking in—they’re part of our root system.

Together, we’re not just stronger—we’re exponential. Think of it this way:

• One associate’s knowledge is great.
• Add a supplier partner’s specialization and network of connections, and it becomes stronger.
• Add a client’s unique challenges and vision, and suddenly the whole network produces breakthroughs.

That’s not 1+1=2. That’s 1+1+1=1,000,000.

Corporate Culture Is Built, Not Claimed

Let me step for a moment into reflection mode—for other CEOs and leaders who might be reading this.

Corporate culture is one of the most fragile assets any organization has. It’s easy to lose, harder to build, and nearly impossible to fake. Slogans on walls don’t create culture. Annual surveys don’t sustain it.

What does? Shared experiences. Relationships built on authenticity and trust. The invisible glue of human connection.

Remote and hybrid work give us efficiency. I love them for what they are. But face-to-face connection can’t be replaced. When we eat together, laugh together, roll up our sleeves together (yes, even when assembling bikes with instructions that felt like rocket science to some), we build bonds strong enough to carry us through challenges we haven’t even seen yet.

That’s why gatherings like CONNECT matter. They are not events. They are investments in our team, and in unstoppable resilience.

7 Deep Roots: My Key Takeaways

So, what did CONNECT teach us? Here are seven lessons I believe every company can take home:

1. Gratitude grows corporate culture. Thanking the people who make it possible—associates, suppliers, clients—feeds the soil.
2. Collaboration beats heroics. Lone wolves don’t win long games. Inter-connected networks do.
3. Problem-solving > product-selling. Clients reward those who help them thrive, not those who relentlessly pitch the hardest.
4. Values matter when they’re lived. “Bold” wasn’t a poster—it was visible in every handshake, brainstorm, and delivery moment.
5. Suppliers make the impossible possible. With the right network, scale and innovation multiply.
6. Face-to-face is irreplaceable. Video calls keep us connected. Shared meals and team challenges make us bond.
7. Technology Reimagined™ starts with people. The greatest reimagination isn’t in the tools—it’s in unlocking each other’s best.

Looking Ahead

As we step into the year ahead, I’m proud—beyond words—of what this team is building. We’re not just aiming for “a good year,” we’re aiming for unprecedented excellence. We’re architecting a future of growth together, rooted in trust, powered by innovation, and flourishing through connection.

Here’s my closing thought: In a forest, the tallest tree doesn’t stand because it was the smartest seed. It stands because it grew in a network that supported, nourished, and connected it.

MicroAge is that forest. And CONNECT reminded me: when we grow together, there’s no limit to how high we can reach.

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