As football season starts, hope springs eternal. Every team makes moves in the offseason, in hopes that they have added enough talent to be winners. But what makes a winner? Is it their talent, or their culture?
Why is it that, although the NFL has put a lot of effort into parity, that the same teams are always the perennial favorites? Why is it that the Washington Redskins have invested millions of dollars in acquiring the best talent in the league, however they can’t get to the playoffs? I would argue that the culture of the team is wrong.
Teams like the Patriots, Packers, and Steelers have winning cultures. In Baseball, the Yankees, Red Sox, and Phillies have winning cultures. There are expectations on how the team conducts business, and how it will compete. Year after year, even when their players move on, these teams remain the benchmark for success. An example of how powerful a culture can be is Randy Moss. He failed on many teams, and succeeded when he got to the Patriots.
What defines the team’s cultures? Who bears the responsibility of instilling the culture in new players? It starts at the top, when the owner defines his expectations, his minimum standards. The management is then left to choose the team, and set goals and expectations. The next component is the team captains. These are people that lead by example, and are the heart of the team. Their actions are the result of an effective culture.
How does sports relate to Phillips? Easy. I view myself as a free agent that was signed by Phillips a year ago. I was introduced to a cultural performance standard that was developed by Alan Phillips and the senior leadership team. My team leader then helped me to set goals and expectations, through OGTE. The team captains are our Brand Ambassadors, who embody the culture, and prove its power daily.
Each one of these components, the Cultural Performance Standard, OGTE, and Brand Ambassadors, are crucial in perpetuating the culture of winning. These mechanisms will ensure that the culture will continue for many years to come.
Now back to football, here’s hoping that the culture of winning has infected my team!
Comments