Writer and speaker J.P. Nerbun, the author of The Culture System, stated in a recent post: “The biggest misconception about culture is…” and asked people to finish the sentence. One misconception about team culture is that it’s developed and sustained in a few team meetings. In reality, team culture is the compounding of literally every interaction throughout the year. Here are six ways to develop and sustain team culture:
- Consistent Team Meetings: Setting and holding consistent team meetings around team culture is the foundation for the messaging around it. The coaching staff must set weekly (or more) meetings to establish the team culture early, further develop it, and sustain it throughout the season. When there’s a lack of conversation around team culture, other issues often fill the void. Do you consistently hold team meetings around culture?
- Individual Conversations: Individual meetings further develop the team culture desired. Anytime coaches have conversations with players, they should focus not only on the sport skills, but also the actions players take around team culture. Provide feedback on ways they can say and do things more aligned with the culture. How often do you talk with players about their actions around team culture?
- Culture Evaluations: Developing team culture requires evaluating it consistently throughout the season. Using clear indicators of the culture desired, each player must evaluate where the team aligns with those standards. Implementing these evaluations allows for transparency on where the team aligns and what needs to be improved. How often do you evaluate the team culture and make adjustments?
- Team Standards Work: Championship teams consistently discuss, reflect on, and take action on the team standards. In team meetings, they discuss these standards and complete developmental work. The team captains use these standards to address their teammates. Coaches speak the language of the standards throughout practice, workouts, and meetings. How clearly utilized are the standards in the program?
- Team Captain Training: Weekly meetings with the team captains provides an opportunity to not only understand the team dynamics, but to also mentor the captains on how to lead and what that looks like. The captains in the program must act like a second set of coaches and hold others accountable for upholding the standard. What does your team captain development system look like?
- Alignment of Support Staff: Meeting with the support staff to discuss all aspects of the team culture creates alignment throughout the program. Many people come in contact with the team and players each day, and those people must speak the same language in order to further develop team culture. Utilize one or more meetings with those individuals and discuss what the team culture should look like and what you expect. How aligned is your team culture with other support staff?
One misunderstood concept around team culture is the process by which it’s established and cultivated. A championship team culture requires daily interactions that create, develop, and sustain the culture for the long-term. Highly-effective leaders and coaches create a system that supports the type of team culture they want in their program.
What is your system for developing and sustaining team culture?