Culture advice?

[Anonymous]

What is the best bit of advice you have ever been given about culture? 

[Anonymous]

That you have to fight everyday for your culture.  

 

[Anonymous]

Choose the culture you want to create or you’ll end up with one you don’t want.

[Justin Gerstung]

Thanks for this platform—“Know what’s right, do what’s right!” & belief statement, “I don’t care who gets it right, as long as we get it right.”

[Anonymous]

Cultures are self-selecting. The stronger your culture, the more likely you will attract people who resonate with your values, and the more powerful will be the team you can build with them.

[Anonymous]

A good culture is like a well-functioning family. There is a lot of good stuff, great moments, and growth. There is also fights, tears, disagreements. The key is to develop trust, standards, accountability, transparency and love.

An additional quote to think about as it relates to the above statement. “The true strength of any bond is measured by the tension it’s capable of withstanding.”

 

[Anonymous]

Talking about culture and actually living out your culture are two very different things. I think a lot of coaches (myself included at times) talk about what are culture is but are coaches, players, and all stakeholders truly living it?

Just something I wrestle with a lot.

[Anonymous]

Good share Ryan @Ryan Robie — I don’t think you are alone in that. It’s good to be self aware and all of us to be so that we are constantly and consistently evaluating how we are doing in living out our core values and principles. Thanks for sharing…it’s a longer and deeper discussion.

 

[Anonymous]

I have enjoyed reading all of your post regarding culture. Developing a culture is key to the success of any program, organization, or team. It is a very challenging task to build and maintain a thriving culture but with  Commitment, Passion, and Positive Energy it is a rewarding experience for all involved!

[Anonymous]

You do not wrestle with that alone @Ryan Robie  Our  boys coach says it best, quoting scripture, Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters.”  Leaves a lot to interpretation, but I believe I get his point. Therefore, he has a culture pyramid, of things to be devoted to with explanation of each.  Much like Wooden’s but he built it himself with help of former players. My point is this: You probably talk about things daily, put those things on paper, define them, memorize them, and live them out. 

When I was a head coach at my previous school, I have a culture wall in our locker room with the things we were about in the program. Discipline, toughness, etc. Had them on the ball in larger letters so everyday they saw them, consciously or unconsciously.  Then we visited one of them each week or multiple words if needed. 

Just a few of my thoughts. 

And agree with Sam, could have a lengthy discussion on this. I am game anytime! 

Trent

 

[Anonymous]

@Trent Lankford Great information here thank you for sharing your thoughts!

[Anonymous]

Culture eats strategy for breakfast. 

When building a culture, it’s often easiest to start with what you don’t want then commit to the opposite of that. 

[Anonymous]

On 1/21/2020 at 5:19 PM, Tyler Coston said:

…it’s often easiest to start with what you don’t want then commit to the opposite of that. 

“One recognizes one’s course by discovering the paths that stray from it.” – Albert Camus

[Anonymous]

The first Athletic Director I worked for was a successful football coach during his coaching days.  He would always tell us, “Never let winning get in the way of doing what is Right!!”

[Anonymous]

When I think about great culture, I dream about an environment and a group of people that compete day in and day out for greatness within themselves and greatness in those around them. I, too, believe culture is something you have to fight for. I think there’s always room for growth because, as people and coaches, we will always have room for growth. 

The best advice I’ve heard would be along the lines of having a willingness to be disagreeable. Be willing to say it can better. We can be better. To not let your ego or blind spots get in the way of constant improvement. If you prioritize wanting to be liked, you’ll probably make the unfortunate mistake of avoiding the healthy conflict and tension that comes with acknowledging that there’s another level. An avoidance that will keep you from taking the necessary and potentially uncomfortable steps to pivot, tweak, or change to get there.

Getting it right is extremely difficult because it starts with us and living out the culture that we desire to see every day. Love, trust, excellence, hard work, courageous conversations, truth, transparency, care, competitive, vulnerability, leaving things better than you found it. We could all go on. 

As leaders, the impetus of our culture is as close as an honest look in the mirror and choosing to light a path worthwhile for others to follow. May we all stay humble and audacious enough to seek the very best, and disagreeable enough to inch ever closer to achieving it.

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