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Business. Psychology. Self-Improvement. Nonfiction. HTML:NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER �?� The author of The Talent Code unlocks the secrets of highly successful groups and provides tomorrow�??s leaders with the tools to build a cohesive, motivated culture. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY BLOOMBERG AND LIBRARY JOURNAL Where does great culture come from? How do you build and sustain it in your group, or strengthen a culture that needs fixing? In The Culture Code, Daniel Coyle goes inside some of the world�??s most successful organizations�??including the U.S. Navy�??s SEAL Team Six, IDEO, and the San Antonio Spurs�??and reveals what makes them tick. He demystifies the culture-building process by identifying three key skills that generate cohesion and cooperation, and explains how diverse groups learn to function with a single mind. Drawing on examples that range from Internet retailer Zappos to the comedy troupe Upright Citizens Brigade to a daring gang of jewel thieves, Coyle offers specific strategies that trigger learning, spark collaboration, build trust, and drive positive change. Coyle unearths helpful stories of failure that illustrate what not to do, troubleshoots common pitfalls, and shares advice about reforming a toxic culture. Combining leading-edge science, on-the-ground insights from world-class leaders, and practical ideas for action, The Culture Code offers a roadmap for creating an environment where innovation flourishes, problems get solved, and expectations are exceeded. Culture is not something you are�??it�??s something you do. The Culture Code puts the power in your hands. No matter the size of your group or your goal, this book can teach you the principles of cultural chemistry that transform individuals into teams that can accomplish amazing things together. Praise for The Culture Code �??I�??ve been waiting years for someone to write this book�??I�??ve built it up in my mind into something extraordinary. But it is even better than I imagined. Daniel Coyle has produced a truly brilliant, mesmerizing read that demystifies the magic of great groups. It blows all other books on culture right out of the water.�?��??Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Option B, Originals, and Give and Take �??If you want to understand how successful groups work�??the signals they transmit, the language they speak, the cues that foster creativity�??you won�??t find a more essential guide than The Culture Code.�?��??Charles Duhigg, New York Times bestselling author of… (more)
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Another shortcoming lies in the fact that many, if not all, of these teams seem overtly male-oriented. I’m left curious about how predominantly female teams can maintain healthy group dynamics. Does gender play any role in the nature of a healthy culture or are gender dynamics independent of group dynamics? He does not, likewise, analyze culture on a global level. How do cultures different than America convey healthy group dynamics? How can international companies have healthy international teams?
Despite these weaknesses, Coyle provides a group of inspirational stories that can spark ideas for business leaders on how to lead healthy and productive teams. The focus is not merely on being nice but on getting the most out of a team. The stories are easy to relate to and interesting. Many deal with well-known entities in American culture. They universally take a new spin on team-work and provide good food-for-thought on how to transform the groups the reader works with into more successful teams.
As I was reading this book I could see practical ways that my employer could apply these principles better; especially in meetings and coming together for a common goal. Now is the best time as there are many projects starting. The book starts out with an experiment involving business students, kindergartners, lawyers, and CEOs. Every time the kindergartners won. This is because they did no worry about who was the leader but worked energetically together with short communications to achieve the goal. This is just one of the examples of a successful group. Not to say that no leader is better but working together with clear communication is key. Also, having really good employees that can be trained is worth a lot.
Mr. Coyle showcases a different business like Pixar, Goggle, Navy Seals, and San Antonio Spurs to name a few. He shows what has made them successful and then breaks it down into easy and understandably analysis. My favorite one was reading about the San Antonio Spurs and Mr. Popovich. Mr. Popovich knew all of his players on a personal level. He bonded with them not through yelling or texts but with human interaction. He knows this is the best way to build a strong team. After reading this book, I have a respect for Mr. Popovich. The Culture Code is a wonderful book that is not to be missed.
Behavioral sciences, like sociology and psychology, now for decades stress the importance of belonging, vulnerability, trust, motivation, and leadership. These elements are extensively elaborated in The Culture Code. Focus is on the practical side. Don't expect visuals for visioning, slogans for a mission or strategy. It's up to you and your group to practice the lessons in this book and create cultural chemistry of the sum of individuals being replaced by synergy.
I was expecting an explanation of "culture code", something that will make nebulous culture thing more tangible and maybe even provide some practical tips. Well... there no
What do you get here then? A collection of stories, anecdotes, and interviews about exceptional teams. They are all well written and entertaining, present teams facing grand challenges or approaching everyday duties in a special way. You get to know what makes them tick... but rarely it will translate to what can make your team tick.
There are many issues with this approach.
First - the selection of teams to showcase. We are told they have effective work cultures, but it remains a mystery what does it actually mean. You could explore organizations that bring exceptional results, have the most satisfied and loyal employees, or make customers, partners, and investors happy. Go through top10 in each category and try to understand what makes them different. But instead, you get cherrypicked selection of... simply good stories that fit the author's narrative.
Second - all presented teams have a very similar culture, like there is only one that works. It seems like the author had some idea of a culture he wanted to describe and found teams that fit his ideal. I believe that there are different cultures that are interesting and worth exploring. There is a lot of diversity that one needs to take into account, but instead, we get American-only examples, led almost entirely by white males (only 1 woman presented), working very close to each other (when IRL we go more into distributed and remote).
Third - the resulting conclusions are surely not bad. Also, not very surprising or original. I just have a problem with believing the author that he cracked the code and found universal truths. It might not translate to other teams as easily as the author suggests. You won't put your accounting team through Navy SEALs training and make the risk their lives every day at work to build this special bond soldiers have with each other... yes, you can do AARs, but this doesn't automatically make you as effective as Navy SEAL.
So if you want to read entertaining stories about teams that are engaged and motivated and striving for excellence, this book is for you! Although, some of them have dedicated books that explain how they work in more detail (Pixar, IDEO, Zappos). If you want to find some practical advice in leading a team of yours, this book can be a good starter but if you already explored this domain you won't find anything spectacular here. And lastly, if you are looking for the science of culture, pass on this one.
In all good and useful content, well researched, but wrapped in too much unnecessary story.