Programs don't have cultures!

Coaches LOVE to talk about culture. The Patriots have a culture. The San Antonio Spurs have a culture. Apple has a culture.

It's a myth.

This is coming from someone who grew up in a family of cultural anthropologists.

Sports organizations and businesses don't have cultures. They have people. The Patriots have Bill Belichick. The Spurs have Greg Popovich. Apple had Steve Jobs.

How is Apple doing since Jobs passed away? How is that "culture" of creativity going? Do you think the Patriots will be the same without "The Hoodie?" Or the Spurs will be that same hard nosed competitive team without Pop?

If you need more proof look at the Lakers. I grew up in Los Angeles in the Showtime Era of Lakers basketball. Look at them today. Unrecognizable. Again organizations don't have cultures...they have people. When the people change everything changes.

Every coach that takes over a program with a losing record says the same thing. They need to change the culture. Inevitably what actually happens? They cut a bunch of players and change the PEOPLE.

I've heard coaches say "one player can ruin the entire culture of the program." But I thought your program had a strong culture? Wouldn't the culture take care of that? Of course not. Programs don't have cultures. They have PEOPLE. That's how one person can have such negative impact.

I'm reading Jon Gordon's "You Win In The Locker Room First." Mike Smith, the former Atlanta Falcons coach, talks about how in the last 2 years he didn't pay attention to culture and that's why eventually he was fired.

"I'm sorry it happened, but now it's one of the most valuable lessons I've ever learned, and one that I can share with you so you don't make the same mistake." Smith writes. "That's why I want to encourage you to build your culture, value it, live it, reinforce it, and fight for it."

I would say that last line a bit differently. I want to encourage you to build your people, value them, love them, reinforce them, and fight for them.

It's not about culture. It is about people.