By Hudson Bates, Ohio State Associate Head Men’s Volleyball Coach and Recruiting Coordinator
No matter which sport or gender you coach, culture is key to success. I’ve been fortunate to coach all the different levels and formats of our sport, and people often ask me if I prefer coaching males, females, indoor, or beach. My response is always the same, “I’m happy if I’m working with a group of athletes dedicated to becoming their best. It doesn’t matter the gender, environment, or even the sport.”
We’re always eager to work with groups of people who are committed to placing the team’s priorities above their own. Some years it happens naturally, some years it takes a bit more work. Through my years of culture cultivation, I’ve learned that no matter what happens on the court, if your team doesn’t have a strong and positive culture, it will struggle to reach its highest potential. I’ve also learned that a strong and positive culture doesn’t necessarily mean more wins, but it does support a focus on process over results. I hope this article gives you a little encouragement and possibly some pathways to help develop your ideal culture.
Just like anything else we aim to improve, we must work hard to develop culture. Your program’s culture needs to be unique and meaningful to you in order for it to take hold and make an impact on your athletes. Consistency, leadership development, and collaborative learning are the major proponents that will fuel improvement in your culture.
While we are all busy, it is important to make time to regularly discuss and work on culture. You need to include and empower your leaders to make it their own and encourage team members to speak up or ask questions if they aren’t sure or disagree with any part of the culture.
Here’s a few ideas to help develop your own unique and positive culture:
Define Core Values. You can use a uniform platform to get everyone on the same page when it comes to definitions of core values. It’s important that all team members clearly understand what each one of the core values means, and using clear, short, and simple definitions is key.
It’s also important to paint a picture of what each value looks like in action. I’ve used a list of about 20 different values, and then had each individual vote for which values resonate the most with them. It can take some weeks, some tough talks, and some emotional exercises, but eventually, you come to a few values that mean the most to the group. Throughout the season, we consistently site actions and how they align with the team values.
Develop Initiatives. You can create a few initiatives that show the importance of your values and put them into action. Last season we introduced three initiatives that aligned with our values: IronBuckeye, Earn your Stripes, and BattleBuddies. Moving forward we have charged some various leaders on our team to modify and improve each of these initiatives. Our goal is to make each initiative more valued and unique to the members of our team. It’s a daunting task to begin new traditions, but culture and traditions go hand in hand, so if you want to revamp your culture, you’ll need to review—and maybe add to—your traditions.
Turn Words into Actions. On a daily basis, you have to look for behaviors that align or detract from your values. It helps to commend your athletes when they exhibit positive behaviors and, if necessary, address unacceptable behaviors as growth opportunities. Dedicate a short amount of team each week to discuss the actions you have seen of late, and the actions you hope to see in the future. Lastly, use guest speakers, short videos, new initiatives, and team bonding activities to continue moving your culture proactively.
I’m passionate about culture, but certainly not an expert. I’ve learned that whether you’re winning championships or suffering tough losses, maintaining a healthy culture makes every season enjoyable and educational.
Culture is the pathway to build trust between coaches and teammates, which will improve relationships between every member of the program. If you value relationships as much as your athletes do, they will thank you for prioritizing the brotherhood (or sisterhood) in your gym.