It’s the Culture, Stupid
Most people have heard of the acronym KISS which stands for Keep It Simple Stupid. That is what inspired my title for today’s article. Although my title does not translate into a catchy acronym, it does capture the essence of what lies behind the brilliance of most highly successful organizations. In the words of former General Electric Chairman, Jack Welch, “Culture drives great results.”
Whether you are talking about Google, Apple or the New York Yankees’ baseball franchise, the culture more than any other factor (be it talent, resources, etc.), will determine the level of success and longevity you achieve. When taking over a struggling organization, an exceptional leader’s first order of business will be to institute culture change. This is often done more swiftly within sports organizations than it is in the corporate world because it is much easier to clean house in the world of sports teams.
When I hear people talk about why coaches are successful, they are always focusing on the details that set these coaches apart from their brethren, and often miss the bigger picture. In the case of current San Francisco 49er coach Jim Harbaugh, they often refer to the toughness he has brought to his teams as the reason for his successes. When people talk about current Seattle Seahawk head coach Pete Carroll, we often hear about both his enthusiasm and his defensive expertise. With Chip Kelly, the successful coach at the University of Oregon who recently took over the Philadelphia Eagles, we usually hear about what an offensive mastermind he is, often likening him to a mad scientist.
All of these observations have plenty of merit, but when I look at these three particular coaches, it’s something much less sexy that they all share that I attribute as the cause of their many successes. First and foremost, in my humble opinion, is the culture they have been able to instill in their teams that allows their football acumen to shine and produce the results they have achieved. There are differences within each coach’s team culture, but all three are masters of instilling a culture of hope coupled with a sound work ethic.
Here’s a text exchange I had with one of my most respected assistant football coaches (who happens to be on one of the above mentioned coaches staff) during last year’s regular season:
Me: From the looks of your last two games I’d say that the culture’s finally taking hold.
Him: I hope so – we need to stay consistent – like we’ve talked about – increase expectations to knowing rather than hoping – very powerful when it happens!
When your culture takes hold (regardless of whether it is a positive or negative culture) it will be self-reinforcing. Those who take care to ensure that they have a positive culture in place, will in effect make whatever their job is that much easier as well as more productive. As former IBM CEO Louis Gerstner emphasized, “The thing I have learned at IBM is that culture is everything.”
No one with any sense would build a home without first ensuring that it has a solid foundation. Your business, team, or family’s culture is its foundation, so it is of paramount importance that you create a sound culture in your organization that you can build on.
