Teamwork Tuesdays: Daniel Coyle: The Culture Code

How much is a great culture worth?

Daniel Coyle is a bestselling author and speaker who writes about high-performing teams and group culture, translating research into practical strategies for leaders.

He says the difference in performance between positive and negative cultures is 756%. That’s the performance gap between teams with a strong culture and a weak culture — between bad, good, and great teammates.

How does Coyle define culture? He says, “Culture is a set of living relationships working toward a shared goal.”

He also says you can feel the culture when you walk into a space with people — like a locker room, a kitchen in a restaurant, or a school. A strong culture is like a flock of connected birds moving through the sky together. He says for this to happen, you have to have three things: connection — everyone has to be moving in the same direction together, shared information — everybody has to know what’s going on, and direction — everybody knows what the team is trying to do and where it’s trying to go.

Coyle also breaks culture down into three essential elements:

1. Safety – People feel like they belong and fit and safe enough to take smart risks.

2. Vulnerability – Members are willing to take risks, admit mistakes, and ask for help.

3. Purpose – The group has a shared direction or mission that guides decisions and behavior.

He believes culture isn’t built on hope, but on doing these three things.

People come to teams with their own intentions and goals, so the job of the leader is to get people connected, starting with getting them to safely and transparently communicate what they want to do and get out of the situation or relationship. 

Then, take what each individual wants to get, define what the group wants to accomplish and how it helps the individual. Finally, take all that shared information and create shared behaviors that will help people be successful and get rewarded for the work they do.

Culture is a team sport, and culture eats strategy for breakfast. So do everything you can to build a strong, connected culture.