Every day, everyone in your organization creates your culture by what they value, believe, think, say, and do. – Jon Gordon

There’s a story coming out of Pannonhalma, Hungary, about tens of thousands of old books being pulled from the shelves of a medieval abbey in an effort to save them from a beetle infestation that could wipe out centuries of history.

The 1,000-year-old Pannonhalma Archabbey is a Benedictine monastery, one of Hungary’s oldest and most renowned centers of learning.

The drugstore beetle, also known as the bread beetle, is often found among dried foodstuffs like grains, flour, and spices. But they are also attracted to the gelatin and starch-based adhesives found in books. They have been found in a section of the library housing around a quarter of the abbey’s 400,000 volumes.

The beetle invasion was first detected during a routine library cleaning. Employees noticed unusual layers of dust on the shelves and then saw that holes had been burrowed into some of the book spines. Upon opening the volumes, burrow holes could be seen in the paper where the beetles had chewed through.

The abbey, which hopes to reopen the library next year, believes that the effects of climate change played a role in the spurring of the beetle infestation, as average temperatures in Hungary have risen rapidly.

Thankfully, the books will be salvaged and eventually returned to the shelves once the process is complete.

What transpired in the library serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of preserving one’s culture. The historic Pannonhalma Archabbey serves as a great example of why protecting your culture is so important. The small beetle has a few things to teach us.

No culture is immune to challenges.

One might think that a world-renowned historic library like Pannonhalma would be immune to a beetle infestation. But there they are working diligently to preserve their infested volumes of books.

Protecting your workplace culture should begin with the understanding that it is not immune to compromises or attacks that would leave it vulnerable. As a leader, you must be vigilant against harmful attitudes and mindsets that could compromise your values and mission. The earlier you identify these challenges, the better, before they spread throughout the organization.

Lesson from the beetles: Don’t take your workplace culture for granted. Work it, maintain it, and protect it at all costs.

Big problems start small.

The beetles were discovered during routine cleaning. Thankfully, they were, but not before 100,00 books were infected. Cultural awareness within your organization should be top of mind for all who have a stake in it. 

When leaders turn a blind eye to what is happening in their organization, it festers over time until eventually what could have been contained as a minor matter has now become a much larger issue that is impacting more people. Timid leaders create vacuums that will be filled with beetles eating away at the very thing you prize the most. Click To Tweet

Lesson from the beetles: Identify problems early and address them promptly. Never allow minor issues to escalate into major ones due to inaction.

Be mindful of the ‘routine’

It was reported that the beetle infestation was discovered during a routine library cleaning. Within your organization, however, not everything should be treated as routine. Many of the issues you deal with as a leader are far from routine. However, having a routine mindset can lead to complacency if you are not careful.

When your culture is on autopilot, it’s challenging to discern what’s truly happening beneath the surface. Where is mediocrity taking place? What toxic chemistry is being overlooked and left unaddressed? What negative behaviors are being ignored? A settled routine can be detrimental to knowing where the beetles are.

Lesson from the beetle: Be intentional about your culture, growth, and values. They do not exist by accident and must be a priority.

How are you dealing with the beetles?

 

©2025 Doug Dickerson