Thursday, February 11, 2016

URBAN MEYER ON CULTURE

The following comes from "Above the Line" by Urban Meyer.  It's one of the best books I've read in recent years that I believe could help a young coach in developing a philosophy to build a program.  The chapter on culture alone is worth the price of the book.  Here is just a portion from the section to let you know how much culture means to Coach Meyer:

Remember, leadership isn't a difference maker, it is the difference maker.

Performance cannot be declared.  It must be lead.  Great results are initiated and sustained by great leadership.  Not just leaders at the top, but leaders at every level.  Leadership is the triggering factor in the Performance Pathway.

Leaders = Culture = Behavior = Results

Ironically, some coaches are so preoccupied with pushing for results that they fail to build a culture that sustains the behavior that produces results.  But winning behavior will not thrive in a culture that does not support it.

As a leader, you are responsible for creating a winning culture that drives behavior and produces winning results.  It's not someone else's job.  It's your job!

Exceptional leaders create a culture that engages hears and minds, energizes action, and executes with discipline.  When that happens, the number and wins follow.

Culture eats strategy for lunch.  Talent, schemes, tactics and plans cannot replace a strong culture.  A great culture can make even a mediocre strategy successful, but a weak culture will undermine even the best strategy.  The foundation of culture is core beliefs.  Not platitudes or quotes.  Core beliefs.  The beliefs that are the heart of the team.