Culture Killers

Dan Hurley a famous basketball coach who led his teams to victory several times was asked, “What does a championship culture look like?”

He said, “Everyone thinks the same things, behaves the same way, and we’re all striving for the same things. That’s what culture means.”

Your culture is what you accept and is a reflection of your leadership and what you’re willing to tolerate, therefore as a leader it means you need to:

1. Drive the ship – explain where and how
2. Lead by example – show the way
3. Hold people accountable – they need to know they are “on the hook”

Here are 5 silent culture killers:

1. When you let toxic people stay
   Toxic people poison the work environment. They lower morale, spread negativity, and hinder productivity. Remove them is crucial to maintain a healthy culture and protecting your team. It is an example of how you slowly poison the culture from the inside-out.
   
2. When you don’t communicate or give feedback
   Poor communication leads to misunderstandings and confusion. Without feedback (good or bad), people don’t know if they’re meeting expectations. Open, honest dialogue builds trust and alignment. It means consistent, clear communication sending and listening.
   
3. When you haven’t set clear expectations
   Vague expectations lead to confusion and inconsistency. People need to know what’s expected to perform well. Clear expectations guide behavior and improve outcomes. Define roles and goals to ensure everyone is on the same page.
   
4. When don’t hold people accountable
   It means demanding, but not demeaning. Lack of accountability weakens standards and erodes trust. People will be complacent, selfish, and unproductive if they don’t see you holding people accountable. It creates responsibility, ownership, and commitment in the team.
   
5. When you don’t recognize and celebrate good work
   Failing to recognize and celebrate achievements diminishes hope and even energy. People want to be celebrated and appreciated for positive achievements. Celebrating successes reinforces the positive behavior you’re looking for.
   

If you want to keep your culture then do NOT let people…

1. Show up late
2. Complain about anything especially publicly
3. Have no accountability
4. Blame others
5. Display bad body language
6. Skip reps or be sloppy in practice
   
7. Display negative energy
8. Take all the credit
9. Use ME, not WE
10. Feel entitled