Introduction

The Culture Code is about how to create successful groups. In this book, the author uncovers the secrets of selected teams or groups and distils them into actionable steps.

Author

Daniel Coyle is an author and contributing editor for Outside magazine. He has 6 books under his belt. The author has won the 2012 William Hill Sports Book of the Year Prize with The Secret Race which is co-authored by Tyler Hamilton. He also works as a special advisor to the Cleveland Indians.

Content

There is a total of 17 chapters with an introduction and an epilogue. The chapters are divided into 3 sections (or skills as the author names them). The first skill is Build Safety which consists of 6 chapters. The second skill is Share Vulnerability and contains 6 chapters. The last skill is Establish Purpose and is made up of 5 chapters. The book is structured like a tour where the author first shows how each skill works, then gives some real-life examples before concrete suggestions on applying the skill.

Review

The Culture Code provides a pathway to developing a successful group. The recommendations are taken from real-life experiences. These successful groups range from business to sports team. So, what are their secrets?

First, the creation of a safe environment where people feel connected. This can be done by dialling in to small, subtle moments and delivering targeted signals at key points. Some examples include capitalizing on threshold moments, avoiding sandwich feedback, embracing fun and making sure everyone has a voice.

When people feel safe, they will be more open to exposing their vulnerabilities. Trusting cooperation is built when there are exchanges of vulnerabilities. In this way, people in the group will be able to learn, instead of always taking a defensive stance. Mistakes will not be the end of one’s career but serve as opportunities for improvement. Some ways to share vulnerability are to make sure the leader is vulnerable first and often, overcommunicate expectations and deliver the negative stuff in person.

Purpose is the thing that holds the group together. Establish a befitting purpose for the group and ensure everyone is on-board. While building purpose, we have to take note of two types of environments. High-proficiency environments help a group deliver a well-defined, reliable performance, while high-creativity environments help a group create something new. These two areas require different approaches for building purpose. For the high-proficiency environments, we should spotlight the goal and provide clear directions to checkpoints along the way. As for the high-creativity environment, empowerment is the key. Last but not least, spotlight small, effortful behaviour as this action transmit, amplify and celebrate the purpose of the group.

The author notes that most successful cultures were forged in moments of crisis. So, treat crisis as an opportunity to build a successful culture, instead of dreading it and deal with it carelessly. Sometimes, what matters most in building a successful group is where the desks happen to be located and not the other variables.

Overall, I find this book to be immensely useful, especially for those in a leadership or managerial position. It will definitely improve the group dynamics if we are able to put the lessons into action and go on to create highly successful groups.

Quotes

1. Along the way, we’ll see that being smart is overrated, that showing fallibility is crucial, and that being nice is not nearly important as you might think.
2. Culture is a set of living relationships working toward a shared goal. It’s not something you are. It’s something you do.
3. Words are noise. Group performance depends on behavior that communicates one powerful overarching idea: We are safe and connected.
4. Purpose isn’t about tapping into some mystical internal drive but rather about creating simple beacons that focus attention and engagement on the shared goal.
5. It’s a never-ending process of trying, failing, reflecting, and above all, learning.

Rating

Interested in The Culture Code?

You may get the book from Kinokuniya Malaysia through the link below*.

Get the book here

*Disclosure: The above link is Involve Asia affiliate link. Thus, I may earn a small commission when you purchase the book through this link.

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