Culture Club

 

T-shirts.  If you are involved in high schools, and particularly in high school activities, you know they’re everywhere.  Students buy so many t-shirts that it is not unusual, in fact, for moms, aunts, or grandmothers to create quilts out of those t-shirts for their students to take with them after high school.  Let me start by saying that I’m a fan of the high school t-shirt.  It shows pride in activities and helps students feel they belong.  What I’m not a fan of (and I apologize to those who design these) is the t-shirt with wording on the back that takes me 15 or more seconds to read.  You know the ones.  “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, etc., etc., etc.”  If I have to walk down the hall following the person wearing it in order to read it all, it’s just not for me.  I’m about efficiency.  Short and sweet.  As a former coach, I made sure of it.  And to me, any message on the back of a t-shirt should reflect team culture.

 

In a previous lifetime, I was fortunate to serve as the Volleyball coach at Wahlert High School in Dubuque.  I was blessed to lead several groups of phenomenal athletes who trained with purpose, knew how to have fun, and competed as all get out.  We certainly had our share of all-conference, all-state, and all-American players.  But we also had those whose names would never end up in the article about the match and would never be shown on the highlights at 10:00 p.m.  They simply wanted to be a part of something they enjoyed, and they did all they could to contribute to the success of the team, no matter what the role.  Because of those athletes, as well as terrific assistant coaches, and supportive administrators and parents, the Golden Eagles won 11 state championships during that time. Our culture was simple and it reflected giving maximum effort, competing relentlessly, doing everything (practice, move from drill to drill, transition from one play to the next in a match, come out of the locker room, return to the locker room, get on the bus/off the bus, etc.) in an up tempo manner, improving every day, holding each other accountable, and respect/appreciation for each other, our opponents, and officials.

 

The Wahlert volleyball team t-shirt (which we wore as practice gear as well as warm-up shirts) was designed to reflect our culture.  And it was designed to do so in simple terms.  Our t-shirt was the same each year.  Culture endures.  The front of our t-shirt simply said, “Wahlert Volleyball.”  The only words on the back were, “Play Like an Eagle.”  One of my players once told me that a player on another team asked what that was supposed to mean.  My player’s response was, “If you have to ask, you wouldn’t understand.”  It wasn’t arrogant.  It was simply indicating one would have to be part of it to fully appreciate it.  Our players and coaches knew exactly what, “Play Like an Eagle,” meant.

 

As I’m certain so many of you have done, as I moved into the Athletic Director position at Wahlert, the Principal position at Xavier High School, the Executive Director position at the IHSAA, and now serving as President of the NFHS Board of Directors, I have made culture a primary focus.  For if a school or organization does not have a culture, it has no identity.  Nothing it can point to and say, “This is what we are all about.”

This all begs the question, “What is our culture?”  How would you describe the culture in your school and your school community?  If you had to describe it in 5 words or less, what would those words be?  If you really want to know what the current state of your culture is, ask someone outside your organization.  Their answer will be based upon how those in your school and school community act.  Once you get a sense of that, ask yourself what you want the culture to be.  If there is a gap between what your culture is and what you want it to be, it’s time to go to work and figure out how to close that gap.  And as we all know, that work begins at the top.  There is a great line in the movie, “Remember the Titans.”  Two of the best player on the team, Julius and Gary are discussing dedication to the team, commitment, and attitude.  Gary, the team captain, is not happy with a comment Julius makes and says, “Man, that’s the worst attitude I’ve ever heard.”  Julius responds with, “Attitude reflects leadership, Captain.”  Pick your quote.  “If it is to be, it must begin with me,” might be a good one. 

 

As we work to determine and then develop the kind of culture we want, we start with our leadership team and identify those qualities and characteristics we want others to recognize in us.  Then we must, “Name it and claim it.”  Whether it’s, “Play Like an Eagle,” “The “Lion Way,” “We are ….,” etc., by naming it, we give ourselves and others something to hold us accountable to.  It’s much safer to ignore, “naming it.”  By not calling our culture something, we give ourselves the out of simply saying, “That’s not who we are,” when we are criticized.  That, of course, begs the question, “Then who are you?”

 

Some believe that we either have a culture or we don’t.  They leave it fate to determine whether or not culture is positive.  Some use an external locus of control and say the culture is outside their control.  For example, some believe if they have a great senior class, they will have a great culture.  I would argue that if a school depends on the “quality” of the senior class, that school really doesn’t have a culture.  A school without a culture may have a great “year” if they have a great senior class.  A solid culture ensures that every year has the potential to be a great year.

 

As those of you who have a positive culture in your school and your school community, it takes a lot of time, energy and commitment to develop a solid culture.  It doesn’t happen by accident.  And won’t happen just by hoping it will develop.  Hope is not a strategy.  It takes an intentional process to develop a positive culture.  Just as I did not believe players are what they are – some are good and some are not, I also do not believe that the culture in a school is what it is.  Coaches used to comment, “I wish I had players that bought in like yours.”  I take an internal locus of control approach on this one and say, “trained or untrained.”  Players (and we could insert, “teachers, staff, students”) do not show up the first day with everything we identify in our culture.  What are we doing to not only develop them and develop a solid culture but to enhance it, grow it, challenge it?

 

Imagine if all our schools worked to develop a culture as simple as, “Work hard, respect others, give back, and appreciate.”  What if we all reinforced each other in this endeavor?  What if we recognized each other when that culture is demonstrated?  It can seem like a daunting task, especially if we are in a situation where there is either no culture established or the culture that is, is less than desirable.  No mountain summit was ever reached with one giant leap to the top.  It started with one step – and a whole lot of resolve.  Let’s take that step and let’s show that resolve!