What ties you together?

If you look at your organization what practices or experiences give everyone a shared experience or shared understanding?  Is there anything that allows every person to say I know the employee sitting next to me does this and the employee across the country does this and the employee working 5 years ago did this and the employee working 10 years from now will do this? This experience should create a common bond between all.  For example, every enlisted Marine knows that every enlisted Marine went to bootcamp.  The Marines emphasize that fact, even if you were a staff sergeant in the Army, if you want to become a Marine, you are going to bootcamp.  Do you remember the story of Riddick Bowe?  He was a world champion boxer who decided to become a Marine.  His first stop? Bootcamp.

Or think about Alcoholics Anonymous and the serenity prayer.