The “Rippling ” effect refers to the fact that each of us whether we like or not have a dramatic effect on others. Another way of thinking about

the rippling effect is a chain reaction where each person we meet passes on the information or behaviour they see to many others .As children we learn to copy what our parents do. You only have to look at a one year old who looks at their mum and dad and just copy.

Leaders have a dramatic effect on others . This effect creates often without consciousness or knowledge-concentric circles of influence that may affect others for years or even generations. Irvin Yalom in an interesting book on death anxiety describes this beautifully .Rippling is the effect we have on other people which is in turn passed on to others much as ripples in a pond that go on and on until they’re no longer visible but continue on a nano level.The enormous effects of rippling makes us think of the rippling effects each new leader who joins and organisation and then leaves really has.The stories that are told about leaders in organisations set the scene for organisation culture .Luton airport security fascinates me. Of all the airports I travel to Luton security has a special culture. I cannot really describe it . I suppose the best word I can use is “terse”.If your liquids are not in the right bag you get abrupt blunt telling off.Its is somehow just more “terse”.Its not to do with volume of people. I have seen much more congested secuity in other places .It is just Luton airport.So is there some kind of rippling making the culture of Luton airport security so different form others.

To change a culture in an an organisation almost means counter rippling! Building enough ripples in the direction that is preferred .Practically any leadership trying to creat change needs to understand the rippling that has been and gone in an organisation and how create there own new concentric circles of influence through others