Here are just a few quick takeaways from the book:
Jeff speaks to how when set, culture goes a long way in running your program:
Ultimately when your championship culture is in place, the culture leads, perpetuates, and even grows itself. Rather than you being the sole leader of the team who has to orchestrate everything, you have created an environment that is so entirely on the same page that it positively and productively leads itself. You have created a team of willing leaders rather than followers. It’s almost as if you could be away and the team could step up and do what needs to be done because they have taken ownership of the program.
Some great thoughts from Bill Walsh on the importance of standards:
“Ideally you want your standard of performance, your philosophy and methodology, to be so strong and solidly ingrained that in your absence the team performs as if you were present, on site. They’ve become so proficient, highly mobilized, and well prepared that in a sense you’re extraneous; everything you’ve preached and personified has been integrated and absorbed; roles have been established and people are able to function at a high level because they understand and believe in what you’ve taught them, that is, the most effective and productive way of doing things accompanied by the most productive attitude while doing them.” –Bill Walsh
On the importance of strong commitment towards a culture:
“For better and for worse, there’s really no quick way to achieve culture change. Rules can be modified with a quick memo, but reshaping a culture takes a commitment to teach what we want, write a coherent vision to define it, model and live that vision as best we can, measure our progress, and then recognize and reward people when we succeed in making it happen. All of which requires tons of communication, years of stubborn persistence, relentless follow up, and probably a little luck.” –Ari Weinzweig
Teach your leaders to teach your culture:
Coach Saban on the importance of defining your standards:
“It all starts with everyone buying into the same principles and values… If you don’t define the expectation for everybody in the organization and the standard, what they’re supposed to do and how they’re supposed to do it, then how can you know whether someone is mediocre or a high achiever… We clearly define personally, academically, athletically what the expectation is for every player and they have to be accountable to it.” –Nick Saban
Jeff on the discipline to exercise your core values during adversity:
It is easy to profess and practice your core values when everything is going well-when you are winning games, everyone is healthy, chemistry is great, your athletes represent your program well, and you’re getting all the calls. However, your core values will be most revealed during the difficult times like losses, when talented athletes get in trouble, and your season and/or job are on the line.
