Culture: And the four pillars of our baseball program

Almost everywhere you look sports teams, school districts, and business organizations are discussing the importance of culture.  Before you read any further, please take one minute and write down your definition of culture…

How did you do?  If you performed the exercise my guess is you found this “simple” assignment fairly challenging.  Attempting to describe culture is like trying to describe love; it’s just not that easy.  Many folks, when describing culture will point to another buzz term: core values.  When developing core values organizations typically turn to the usual suspects of words: integrity, commitment, excellence, and accountability.  What frequently follows the identification of these values is a mission statement.  This mission statement oftentimes is then displayed as a picture on the wall or made into a T-shirt.  All around the country organizations are attempting to create culture in this hollow way.

Today, let’s take a look at culture in a different light. First, let’s start by defining culture.

Culture: The invisible hand that drives the actions and ultimately the results of your organization 24/7/365.

Culture isn’t a list of words; it is living and breathing.  It’s the actions and attitudes of the members of the group.  When we are immersed in the culture we fail to notice things.  We assume.  This is dangerous because our culture is always at work.  We may proclaim “Teamwork” as one of our values, but the true actions of the culture are selfish.  Culture isn’t what we hope it is; instead, culture simply “is what it is.”  You can’t fake it, nor can you cheat it.

I’d like to briefly share the cornerstone of our baseball team’s culture.  As a disclaimer, please let me clarify that WE ARE FAR FROM PERFECT.  Just like so many of you, we are fighting daily to make sure the “invisible hand” of our program is working toward our goals and not against them.  We are extremely intentional about educating recruits, their families, as well as our current players and parents about our culture.

Here are the four pillars of our program:

  1. “Mudita”- If you have read my articles in the past you have heard me discuss mudita.  It is vicarious joy.  It’s being happy for someone else’s success as if it were your own.  It’s selflessness.  It’s looking to serve others.  Mudita, at its best, is a force multiplier.  The best example of mudita I have ever seen is this video from Alabama softball.  Here is a link:
  2. “Kaizen”- Kaizen was originally used as a Japanese business phrase that means: “continuous and never ending improvement.”  In our program it simply means our mission is to challenge ourselves to get better.  It starts with me.  I have to examine everything we do: recruiting, weight training, offense and defense philosophies; the list goes on and on.  This needs to flow throughout the program to our assistants, our players, and managers.  Kaizen is exhausting; you are never satisfied.  Here is a great article about “Everyday” Ray Allen that exemplifies Kaizen.
  3. Grit – “Courage or resolve; strength of character; strength of will; toughness”- Rod Olson.  Striving for greatness is challenging.  It’s not for everyone. There are difficult days; days in which you want to quit.  Our culture is designed to knock everyone (including me) outside of their comfort zone. We have to actively look for ways to instill this “endangered” attribute, grit.  Angela Duckworth, in her incredibly popular Ted Talk, explained how grit; not money, upbringing, intelligence, or appearance, is the number one predictor of success. Grit is a skill that can be developed.
    (On a side note, for all of us parents, it’s ironic that our best intentions of protecting our children are actually damaging their chances of success).
  4. Gratitude – “The quality of being thankful; a readiness to show kindness and appreciation.”- Rod Olson.  If you are playing baseball in our program you are extremely fortunate.  You have the opportunity to get a degree from an incredible university and the chance to be a part of something much bigger than yourself.  How many people in the world would love that opportunity?  I want our young men to understand this and to not take it for granted.  Our society is desperately missing gratitude.  We just assume that we deserve anything and everything we desire. I’m sure our players get annoyed with me, but I will continue to teach and model gratitude.

Your Assignment:
How is your culture?  Roll up your sleeves and do the tough, dirty work.  Get in there and examine the current climate of your organization.  Is the “invisible hand” driving the results you want?  Or is it pushing you further away from your goals?  It is incredibly important to face this head on; a culture exists whether you like it or not.  It’s our job as leaders to be intentional about creating the culture that is best for the organization.

One Final Challenge:
Write down the culture, values, and/or the goals and objectives of your organization.  Please take this challenge.  If you can’t write it down and clearly articulate it, you are leaving your culture up to chance.  Your culture is ALWAYS working; it’s up to you to create it.

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The impatience epidemic (and why embracing the struggle is more important than ever)

Have you noticed how people want all the rewards without putting in the time? We want the prize before the work.  We want the perks without paying the price.  Coaches: how many times have you heard this recently? “What’s the chance of me playing right away?” The same thing holds true in the business sector, “I want to make partner but I refuse to put in 60 hours a week.” We are missing the most rewarding and fulfilling part….the Journey.

The Impatience Epidemic:
We are officially in the instant gratification era.  Almost anything we need is a click or a call away.  We wait for nothing.  Technology has done wonderful things for our society; however it has come with a price.  We are missing the pride in working toward a goal; of encountering setbacks and conquering the obstacles along the way.  Our intentions are good.  We crave the end result, but we are not willing to put the time and energy into seeing the process through.  We want it NOW!

The Issue:
Our society’s quest for easy leaves us insanely unfulfilled.  In America, we have more and better “things” than ever.  Despite the surplus, the levels of depression and lack of fulfillment are at an all-time high.  How can this be?  Here is the issue- most things that come easily or instantaneously are not special.  We’ve all heard the line, “if it was easy everyone would do it.”  Yes, this might sound cliché, but it is incredibly accurate.

Embracing The Struggle
If you are fortunate to be in a tough situation right now be thankful.  Maybe you are facing challenges at work that seem insurmountable.  Be thankful.  Possibly you are facing the daunting task of getting back into shape.  Be thankful.  Some of you are leading groups of people who “just don’t get it.”  Look at this as a challenge and attack it.  The struggle is what makes us feel alive.  For a moment, reflect back to a time when you faced a really tough situation.  My guess is you can look back on this time with a pride; nearly a euphoric feeling because you conquered something that was not easy.  It took a sustained effort to win and you did it.  We learn a lot about ourselves in these difficult moments.  If you are in the midst of a tough time give thanks for the opportunity to make a memory.

A Quick Story:
Matt Buschmann made his big league debut in April for the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Talk about a struggle, as a late round draft pick Buschmann spent ten years in the minor leagues before making the “show” at 32 years old.  Here were his comments on his journey to the Big Leagues.
“The last three days have been just incredible, the outpouring of support and congratulations from friends, past/current teammates and family have choked me up more times than I care to admit.  It has certainly been a long road, but I realized a lifelong dream tonight that made every inch of that road worth it.  Of course my heart was racing as I ran from the bullpen to the mound, but the entire way I just kept thinking of all the people who have helped and supported me over the last ten years.  When you make no money and are grinding away, it helps to have incredible friends and college teammates like I have.  It helps to have a family that has been there no matter what.  It helps to have coaches and mentors that believed in you even when they shouldn’t have.  It helps to have a wife that puts up with marathon flights to small cities and not having a husband for 7 months so he can chase a childhood dream.  That debut was not for me, but for all those people that helped me along the way.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  And to the Arizona Diamondbacks, I will be forever grateful that you gave a YOUNG 32 year old an opportunity.”

Leadership Opportunity
Everything starts with the leader.  Many leaders are busy complaining about the millennial generation’s shortcomings.  They are focusing all their time and energy on how they, “don’t want to work for anything.” Or, how they have major “entitlement issues.”  While others are slapping “universal laws” on people we are left with an opportunity to do the dirty work and really get to know our people.  Instead of taking the easy way out, we can work to understand their point of view.  In my opinion, the problem isn’t entitlement it is a complete lack of impatience, which is understandable in our present society.  So what are we to do?  We can start selling the beauty of the journey and the struggle.  We can explain that meaning is often found in the moments of despair.   The millennial generation is craving to make a difference and be heard.  We just have to show them how.  As Virginia Tech basketball coach, Buzz Williams says, “It’s hard to appreciate the value of something you haven’t invested in.”

This Week’s Homework
Make it a priority to put yourself and those you lead in tough situations.  Demand more of yourself and others; create a struggle even if one is not currently present.  This discomfort is the edge where greatness and fulfillment reside.  Playing it safe and comfortable leaves us apathetic, and there is nothing worse than apathy.   There is more and more pressure from society to “take it easy.”  We know better.  We owe it to our selves and more importantly, to those we lead, to push them past their comfort zone and into the elite space of achievement.

Final Comment
Sports mirror life; that is why I love them.  This week as you watch the Olympics, MLB, NFL or College Sports please take time to appreciate the journey and struggle for many of these athletes.  Achieving at an elite level comes with sacrifice, failure and pain.  It’s what makes it special.  As Nick Saban says, “If you want to do something significant you better be ready for it to be hard- the difficulty is what makes it significant.”

P.S. Here is a link to a one-minute video that captures the essence of the journey of Michael Phelps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh9jAD1ofm4

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Coachability, trust and some nuggets from Urban Meyer

“Lead with the left foot. Don’t cross your feet.”  These were the words from my boxing instructor last July when I was learning the craft.  “Move your head.  Your just standing there like a robot.” Here I was, a coach for over 13 years.  I was the one used to giving the instructions…now the shoe was on the other foot.  When I was working the punching bag I was able to move in the correct pattern, my head bobbed and weaved, and I was able (at times) to execute.  But when I sparred it went all out the window.  I would cross my feet and oftentimes stand in the middle of the ring.  I have long arms and I would use them for defense; bobbing and weaving were out the window.  Basically, when the lights went on I didn’t do a thing that I was taught.

My instructor clearly told me what to do.  I knew the “right” way and I still couldn’t perform.  Did I lack coach-ability?  Would you label me as “uncoachable”? Could I  “not be coached?”

Of course this is just not limited to sports. You have a new software system in place.  You provided the training.  The software works really well for you; however, you have a few members on your team who just will not get on board.  In the education profession, teachers are asked to submit progress reports.  Your directions are clear and concise.  With that being said, there are still a number of teachers who are resistant to the change.  The list goes on and on.   Every profession has its issues.

In my profession, coaches typically resort to name calling or labeling in these situations.  Whatever the term used: “uncoachable,” lacks coach-ability, entitled,
“he thinks he knows everything,” etc etc- we basically deflect the blame and put it on the student.  We may go as far as claiming the person “doesn’t want it bad enough” or that they lack the intestinal fortitude to be great.

Yes, there are those students, athletes, and employees who just don’t get it.  They have poor attitudes and just are not going to change.  However, the vast majority of people are extremely coachable.  The problem lies not in desire but more in a lack of trust.

Trust
Ohio State head football coach, Urban Meyer, delivered a speech on developing trust at the Mississippi St. Coaching clinic (see link below for the full lecture).  As leaders, we all want results.  Before we get results, we must first develop trust, followed by commitment and teamwork.  Leaders have a tendency to gloss over trust.  “I’m the coach, CEO, owner, teacher, or manager- everyone should trust me.”  Guess what? In 2016 it doesn’t work that way.  Let’s look at the “Three C’s of Trust” according to Coach Meyer.

  1. Character- “Repeated experiences of you doing the right thing over and over.”Sure, we all talk about character and we like to think that we are “good people.”The people we lead are constantly evaluating; they want to know if we have their best interest at heart.They want to know if you are a person of your word.They want to know if you love your family.Character is living and breathing; character evaluation never ends.Also, character is telling the truth.It’s saying, “I made a mistake.”Well-intentioned leaders often sabotage their character trying to protect their image instead of taking the blame.If your people doubt your character you will never completely earn their trust.
  2. Competency- “Repeated experiences of them watching you do your job well over and over.” This generation can see through the fluff.They know if you are prepared and on point.Leading is exhausting.Every team meeting is like playing a national championship to me.Every time you meet with your team, class, or unit is an opportunity to display your knowledge.If you lack competency your team will lack trust.
  3. Connection- “the ability to connect with your people.”As we advance in age or title the challenge becomes greater to relate to your people.And, in an organization that is growing, the physical distance can also be difficult.If you are a CEO and rarely meet face-to-face with your reports, the connection will be lacking and so will the trust.As Simon Sinek states, in Leaders Eat Last, “Abstraction kills.”A quick way to kill trust is to have no connection.

First You Must Trust Yourself
There is one more layer to the topic of trust that is often overlooked: you have to trust yourself.  Please let me explain.  We coaches and leaders are quick to call someone “uncoachable” or “stubborn” when they don’t follow our instructions.  Oftentimes they just are not trained at a high enough level, yet.  Going back to my boxing lessons, I can promise you I wanted to do everything right.  However, once we went live, I knew I was going to get hit if I was thinking about “left, slide right” instead of watching for my training partner’s right hand.  It wasn’t me “not wanting to” as much as, “I’m not ready for this.” As the Greek lyrical poet Archilochus said, “We don’t rise to our level of expectations we fall to the level of our training. “

This Week’s Challenge
As we move forward in your leadership journey let’s be slow to label and judge our people.  Before we claim someone is stubborn, lazy or insubordinate- let’s first evaluate some things:

  1. Do we have things in the right order: TRUST, commitment, and teamwork, followed by results?Or are we expecting commitment, for example, before we have earned the trust??
  2. Analyze your Character, Competency and Connection.Be honest.Where are you falling short?
  3. Are you mistaking Coach-Ability with lack of Training? My guess is the vast majority of your people want to please and do things right.Your job is to create a safe environment for them.

Here’s the competitive advantage for us: the majority of coaches, teachers and leaders blame the players, students and employees.  They lack the toughness to analyze their shortcomings.  Remember, the leader sets the pace.  If you are not getting the results you want it is more than likely a trust issue.  What are you willing to do to earn their trust??

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