Culture is the Foundation
Perhaps the most overused and misunderstood word in all of sports is, culture. Next to that, the most asked question… “how do I create a “good” culture?” If you’re looking for the magic phrase or fun activity to build a solid culture to solve your problems stop reading now because a “good” culture only happens organically with a touch of informed guidance…period. If your culture sucks, it’s likely your fault. For some that can be a tough pill to swallow, but if you’re willing to acknowledge it we can move on.
To attempt and answer the question, “how do you create a good culture?”, we first must acknowledge each circumstance, player, and program is unique. Accepting that truth allows us to dive into my four rules for building a great culture in any program, business, or community as a leader of others.
1. Check your ego at the door. This stopped being about you a long time ago. You exist as a support network and guide for people trying to accomplish their own goals and aspirations. This is especially true with high school athletes. This is their experience, not yours. It’s their team, not yours. The sooner you come to terms with it, you’re well on your way.
2. Create ownership and buy-in by exuding an unwavering excitement for your program. I think humans are naturally intuitive and can easily sense when someone is being genuine. That’s why the best coaches tend to be the most passionate ones. Athletes and especially young adults feed off that. Get the gear. Buy the swag. Invest in the image. Pass out the stickers. It all matters. What they feel matters!
3. Culture cannot be dependent on winning but it sure as heck can be built on competition. Enough with dangling the carrot. That tactic is overplayed and rarely gets you long-term results. There’s a thrill in competing for something so we must capitalize on that by creating competition at every turn. Find ways to integrate competition drills into practice. Pit players vs players, coach vs player, and celebrate those victories. It will allow your players to experience grit, competitiveness, and winning without a W or L in a column of the local newspaper.
4. Build compassion. These are real people with real-world challenges. Building a healthy and supportive environment allows participants to fail without fear of ridicule. We all feel pressure to deliver…that’s what we signed up for. The actual truth is at the end of the day we’re all human. Don’t be afraid to tell them you love them. Tell them you’re their biggest fan because it gives them a sense of warmth and security which allows them to give their best day in and day out. If you’re above telling a group of athletes that you love them… you skipped step one.