How to Building A Winning Culture in Team Sports: The Team Culture Arrow (2023)

Building a winning team culture can be a challenge for even the strongest of leaders.

Have you ever said any of the following to yourself as a coach or work leader?

Why can’t I get “insert employee or athlete name here” to show up to work/practice on time?

Nobody seems excited to come to work/practice anymore?

How do I get them motivated to take pride in what they are doing?

Building a winning culture can have many positive benefits. These can include (HEART) Humility, Enthusiasm, Ambition, Respect, Trust. These team traits oftentimes inspire a contagious, team first attitude.

On the other end of the spectrum, a toxic culture can experience low levels of pride, effort, commitment, and motivation. A lack of discipline and complete disregard for coaches/superiors may also rear its ugly head.

This is when we can taste the toxicity in the environment. Nobody wants to be there. Negativity runs rampant.

Reflecting Back

Think for a moment about any team, group, or organization you have been a part of. It could be a high school or college sports team. It could be an academy or military recruit class. It could be your current or past work environments.

Was/Is it a winning culture or losing culture? Was there emphasis on building a winning team culture?

How to build a winning team culture in sports may require slightly different tactics than those used to build a winning team culture in business. Many of the goals and “” may be similar, but the approach may be different. One thing they will most likely have in common is the “”.

I had the honor of learning this from a good friend of mine who ran a $5 Billion dollar company. Through his leadership and inspiration, the company’s growth was astronomical. In simplest form, any team environment can be represented by an arrow. Or more specifically, The Team Culture Arrow.

The Tip

5-15% of the arrow is the tip.

These are the leaders, the captains, the hardest workers, the go-getters, etc. This group is self-motivated with high levels of discipline and effort. Coaches, bosses, teammates and co-workers have full trust in them.

They will run through walls if you ask them. The tip of the arrow-ers are accountable. They do not complain, blame, or make excuses. They bring a positive can-do attitude to the environment. There is no a sense of entitlement -rather, a sense of gratitude – they view success as something that is earned.

Oftentimes, they can keep their emotional center of the brain, the Amygdala, in check during high-stress or high pressure situations.

The Back of the Arrow

5-15% is the back of the arrow.

This group is on the opposite end of the spectrum of the tip of the arrow. These are the blamers, complainers, cheaters, excuse makers, etc. These individuals bring a toxic, negative, me-first attitude to the team environment.

There is a lack of discipline and work-ethic/effort. They may have a strong sense of entitlement. It is usually somebody else’s fault.

They may lash out in times of high stress and duress.

The Middle of the Arrow

What direction does your culture go?

70-90% is the middle of the arrow.

This is where team culture exists.

With a very strong tip of the arrow group and weak back of the arrow group, the middle will become a feeder/model for the tip. They will strive to follow the lead of those at the tip.

They gain trust from their peers, teammates, coaches, and bosses through hard work, discipline, and a team first attitude. In essence they work toward becoming tip of the arrow-ers. This can lead to a successful winning team culture.

On the other end of the spectrum, a loud, contagious, back of the arrow group, especially when leadership positions are involved, can pull the middle of the arrow in the wrong direction.

If complaining, blaming, excuses making, and a me-first entitlement attitude is allowed to run rampant, the culture can become toxic.

In Other Words

Where Do You Want To Be?

Building a winning culture often begins when the tough questions are asked and addressed.

Now comes your moment of truth. Think back for a moment to any team or group you are or have been a part of. Sports, work, recreational, etc.

Where do you think you were/are on the arrow?

Where do you think your teammates feel/felt you are on the arrow?

Where do you want to be on the arrow?

Time to key up the Herb Brooks speech in the movie Miracle, “This is your time!….Now go out and take it!”

For more Building a Winning Team Culture articles be sure to check out our blog (here) or pick up your copy of Building a Winning Culture in High School Sports….and Beyond today.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for our next post in this series: Blind Spots.