âCulture, culture, culture, culture, culture ⦠What the heck does that mean? ⦠I donât care about culture⦠I donât care if they like each other. I want to win. Iâve been on some teams where the quarterback didnât like the receiver, but they darn sure made harmony when the ball was snapped.â When I first read those words recently from Deion Sanders, the Pro Football Hall of Famer-turned-coach with the University of Colorado Buffaloes, it got my attention, to say the least. I mean, who doesnât care about culture? But culture is one of those words. Ask six people to define it, and youâll get twelve different answers. Many times hard to describe, but always easy to feel. Culture is the way an organization gets things done. It propels people from me to we, from self-interest to shared interest. Itâs the organizational atmosphere enveloping purpose, vision, values, assumptions, behaviors at scaleâand ultimately results. It fills the white space around formal plans, structures, systems, mindset, and abilitiesâin [Black Korn Ferry logo JPG 400.png]() âCulture, culture, culture, culture, culture ⦠What the heck does that mean? ⦠I donât care about culture⦠I donât care if they like each other. I want to win. Iâve been on some teams where the quarterback didnât like the receiver, but they darn sure made harmony when the ball was snapped.â When I first read [those words]() recently from Deion Sanders, the Pro Football Hall of Famer-turned-coach with the University of Colorado Buffaloes, it got my attention, to say the least. I mean, who doesnât care about culture? But culture is one of those words. Ask six people to define it, and youâll get twelve different answers. Many times hard to describe, but always easy to feel. Culture is the way an organization gets things done. It propels people from me to we, from self-interest to shared interest. Itâs the organizational atmosphere enveloping purpose, vision, values, assumptions, behaviors at scaleâand ultimately results. It fills the white space around formal plans, structures, systems, mindset, and abilitiesâin short, itâs an organizationâs everything. Ironically, despite its pervasiveness, Korn Ferryâs research suggests itâs the most underrated success factor in business. Now, letâs get back to Deion Sanders⦠A two-time Super Bowl winner, Sanders has earned his nickname âPrime Time.â His lightning-fast speed and swagger were second only to his unique style of play and larger-than-life personality. Now Coach Prime (as his players call him) is bringing that same electricity to his leadership at Colorado, a football program that for years has been mired in mediocrity. But not anymore. âYou believe now? ⦠Do ⦠you ⦠believe!?â With those words, Coach Sanders called out the doubters after leading Colorado to an undefeated start thatâs been the talk of this college football season. And thatâs largely thanks to what Coach Sanders is doingâand unabashedly in his own way. Heâs actually forging a new cultureânot that he embraces that term. He simply oozes it with candor and confidence and lives that conviction. Letâs put it this way: the changes he made to his roster in just one season arguably reflect the biggest turnover of talent in college football history. Itâs nothing less than a complete overhaul with a new blueprint that touches everything. Culture starts at the top and cascades everywhere, forming the left and right boundaries that keep everyone moving toward the goal line. Culture, particularly in this new hybrid world, is a conversation weâre having frequently these days with our clients across the globe. While the details differ, the discussion often centers around how to propel culture forward. And through culture, performance emerges out of distinct differencesânot symbiotic sameness. In fact, as long as people live and work in groups, thereâs going to be conflict. Weâre human beingsânot human doings, and everybody is different. Admittedly, all of this may sound counterintuitive. But actually, research reveals teams that are all âkumbayaâ do not perform as well as those that embrace conflict. Constructive conflict creates collective genius. And itâs up to the leader to make that happenâstarting with authenticity, belief, and communication. Authenticity . âThe one thing that [Sanders] firmly believes in is heâs going to tell people the truth,â a fellow coach said about him. âHe has not done anything since heâs been the head coach that he didnât say he was going to do.â It comes down to having a say/do ratio of 1-to-1: We do what we say and say what we mean. Thatâs the kind of honesty that goes to the heart of authenticity. Belief. When we believe we can make a difference our actions will follow. But if we donât believe, we wonât achieve. No surprise then, belief ranks high on the agendas of the global CEOs our firm is speaking with. It really is that simple: If you donât believe, no one else will. Communication. Communication is where leadership lives and breathes, and without question culture is shaped by leaders. As Korn Ferry research indicates, itâs in how they talk about the mission, the stories they tell, the key values they articulate, and the heroes they create. It doesnât stop there. Culture is also influenced by how employees are recognized and rewarded. If leaders talk about the importance of collaboration, but only promote the strivers and Type A personalities, thatâs a mixed message. Consistency matters. Say it, mean it, act it, believe it ⦠for the love of the game. PS: Another win last night. Coach Prime and Colorado are now 3-0! Weâre pleased to launch a new book from Korn Ferry, [Take Control]() â and itâs all about getting ahead and advancing careers. This latest book follows [The Five Graces of Life and Leadership](), offering imagery, emotions, and insights that capture the human side of leadership. Both books are now available. Regards, Gary Burnison
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