Getting Closer In New England | The Importance of Culture and Philosophy

In chapter 6 of his book Win Forever, Pete Carroll talked about some of the difficulties he faced as the head coach of the New England Patriots.  After two seasons with the 49ers, the Patriots hired him in large part because they wanted to run their organizations just like the 49ers organization, the organization they hired him from.  On the 49ers, Carroll said:

Whether it was office dynamics, travel arrangements, or schematics of their offense and defense - everything the 49ers did was first-class and professional.  They were consistently efficient and effective in every aspect of their team.

Carroll wrote that he learned early in his tenure with New England an important lesson about the difficulty of implementing change in an organization.  When the Patriots organization showed skepticism in his philosophy change, he called on Coach Seifert and Coach Walsh, two guys he worked with in San Francisco for advice.  He wrote that Coach Seifert's response was:

'Pete, you've got to do it the way you know how to.'

Coach Carroll knew that if he began to try to please other by changing, he would be miserable.  He wrote that he decided to trust his instincts and compete to be the best head coach that he knew how to be.

Coach Carroll also talked about the importance of working to identify, display, and utilize to the fullest the unique qualities of your players.

I always believed that it was important to demonstrate to your team your willingness to highlight special talents.'

I've always tried to uncover special qualities in players and build roles and styles that make the most of their unique talents.

One of the most attractive aspects to the job in New England for Coach Carroll was having Drew Bledsoe as the quarterback.  Though he had some struggles, he was a former number 1 draft pick with big time potential and big time pressure.  Even though he had led his team to a Super Bowl appearance, he faced a lot of pressure to win the big one.  

Coming in to the organization, Carroll wrote that he imagined that Drew's previous coaches put a lot of pressure on him to grow and mature, and in the process, Drew might have felt under-appreciated.  Carroll sought to help Drew become much more powerful by helping him develop into more of a vocal leader and the star of the team.  They also worked to highlight the positive aspects of his performance and focus on all the good things he was doing.  He wanted to make sure that his teammates really appreciated his strengths and what he brought to the team.  Carroll wrote: 

As that first season progressed, we started to see some changes in Drew's role on the team.  I felt confident in dealing with him, and as he matured he became increasingly willing to open up and embrace his role of a team leader.  From time to time, I would remind him that it might be appropriate to say something in a team setting, and he would do it.  At other times he would act on his own impulse.  He seemed comfortable taking over, and it was a beautiful thing for our team.  I can't take credit for all of this - part of it was simply the process of his maturing - but I truly believe the head coach can and should nurture potential leaders as they emerge.

Head coaches encounter opportunities to affect their players' performances and it is their job to recognize them.

Coach Carroll, when dealing with a particularly difficult teammate with the Patriots, sought guidance from Bulls' coach Phil Jackson.

Phil and I spoke about the art of communication with players, particularly the stars who held themselves in high regard but were inconsistent in their mentality toward the team.  

When the team was struggling, and he was facing a lot of pressure from the fans and media, he realized:

The New England fans just want to win!

Once I comprehended that, I knew that the only chance I had of making that happen was about doing things the best way I could.  I needed to compete every day.  I was going to control what I could and enjoy each moment of coaching football.  I was going to coach my tail off the next day, week, or month and not be concerned about my future.  The owner would make his decision eventually, but int he meantime I was going to have a blast coaching ball.

Though it eventually didn't work out for him in New England, Coach Carroll had learned a lot about himself as a leader and a coach and how to run an organization:

I left the NFL knowing that wherever I ended up next, my job would be to coach every part of the organization and be sure that we all had one heartbeat, one voice.  I now understand that different cultures could exist in the front and back offices, but to succeed, these elements need to be in sync.  A head coach should be able to hire his own coaching staff if he wants a cohesive unit and also have a strong hand in selecting players.  Confidence and trust are vital to a successful organization, and leadership must be supported unconditionally - to the bitter end, if necessary.

Ultimately, I learned that success in the NFL depends on all parts of the organization working together to field a championship team.  The competition is so intense and the level of expertise so evenly matched that only the strongest survive.  The strongest, I firmly believe, are those that are the most unified as an organization.

'You've got to have a philosophy.'