The Culture of Success
Watching the Olympics is always a lot of fun. The number of high performers that congregate in a single sporting event and showcase their abilities. The highs, the lows, the triumphs, the surprises, all contribute to the excitement that goes along with the event. Watching all of these athletes perform at the pinnacle of their disciplines is nothing short of amazing with the performances that they put out there to place their bodies and capabilities on the edge. One of the most interesting aspects is the race toward the total medal count, the battle between countries across disciplines to accumulate the most amount of wins, records and highest performances. This shows something more than a single effort to win the gold, what someone can see tracking this and watching the top teams is a very important aspect to sport performance among all the athletes, the culture that they demonstrate. Take a closer look at the teams that rack in the wins in multiple events, there is a very subtle yet important characteristic among all the participants that goes a long way in determining the success or failure to win the medal. Sometimes this is hard to notice because the highlights never place any focus on it, it is something that goes on before and after the races or performances. Even outside the Olympics, across all great sport dynasties, the most important factor that determines a groups continuous success is directly correspondent to 1 thing.
Culture!
What is culture you might ask yourself. Culture is the underlying consistent attitude and manner of action across a group of people. No matter how big or small that group is, they can create a culture that can bring them up or drag them down, especially in regards to athletic performance.
Take a look at some of the similar characteristics of high performing teams over a long period of time. Kenyan Runners, German Soccer, US Women’s Rowing, Canadian Hockey, Chinese Gymnasts, Netherlands Speedskating, etc. There are a number of teams that have remained at the top for long periods of time, and they all share similar qualities:
1) They have an identity: No other teams really looks like them and their style is typically unique compared to other competitors, techniques in performances are very well executed and are proficient. Athletes tend to stay in these teams for longer periods of time.
2) They trust each other: Watch how they all interact, not just on the starting line-up or the “best athletes. Everyone is comfortable and engaging with each other. When something happens and an alternate on the team needs to step in, the other starters don’t shy from involving the substitute. Everyone at every part of the team knows what to do and when to do it.
3) Team work is key: Look at how the teams functions, even if there happens to be a “super star” performer. No one player takes the entire load of the competition on themselves, the load is shared and everyone is expected to contribute to the cause.
4) Attitude: Very seldom do you see members of these teams standing out in a negative way. The organization from top to bottom acts in similar ways. People aren’t loud or obnoxious and they let the numbers speak for themselves.
5) Development: Building these programs doesn’t just happen overnight and maintaining them is more than just spending money to buy to next best player. The best teams develop athletes through a system and bring them up in the attitude and identity that they maintain.
6) Community: They interact with their communities and have load of support from outside of the team.
Winning once is one thing, with enough training and time with decent coaches and teammates, winning at any given tournament is possible. But try and win everything or at least be in the top 3 year after year. Dealing with injuries, sickness, changes in coaching, new teammates, departing teammates. There are a lot of issues to deal with and to adapt effectively so that no matter the circumstances, your team is among the top if not the best, it takes talent and something deeper than just good athletes or training facilities.
The culture of winning is a combination of parts in your training tool. Even in “individual” sports, the athletes that perform the best consistently also have a team of coaches, training partners often competing against each other, and other helps that keep them at the top of their game. Often, all the training partners will find themselves at the top of the events or disciplines. You can create your own culture of winning, You can integrate yourself into a culture that lifts up to your top performances. The large key is to make sure that you don’t limit your training to only the physical parts of the sport. Surround yourself with people who are successful, who will excite you and support you. Hire a coach, or consult a coach who can teach you more than just technique and develop strength, but also mental strength and discipline. Join a team or get a training partner who will push you not just be at your level or above or below. It takes a group to create a culture and your group should be like-minded and constructively critical. Within any sport or athletic discipline, you can’t ignore the mindset and identity that you have, it bleeds into performance and determines the results that you can achieve over the long term.
If there is any take away from this, it can be applied to both athletes and coaches. Don’t focus too much time developing or doing the “perfect” training program or understanding the most detailed aspects of exercise physiology. Take some time to make the environment where you train or provide training one that is promoting success, that attracts successful people and encourages positive competition. Don’t just build your body, build your culture. As the saying goes, “if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.”
Every Day… A Little Stronger
