With all the news surrounding sports, politics, current events, and global change, it is overwhelming to try to find common threads in what specifically constitutes success. However, this month, I started  thinking about success culture because of the super bowl and Andy Reid.

Andy Reid is the coach of the Kansas City Chiefs who won Super Bowl 54 (LIV) in 2020. Under all the hype and media circus, one idea kept coming to the surface. Andy Reid created a culture of success and earned the respect of his team. He created a partnership with amazing 2nd year quarter back (Patrick Mahomes) and together they created success.

In interviews, teammates said Andy Reid walked in the building and immediately changed the culture.

To create a success culture, respect is the key.

When I say success culture, I am not speaking of money or fame. Instead, my idea of success is a healthy life or work/play/serve environment built on the full spectrum of respect.

On every level success culture spreads positive ripples in the pond.

In a family, success culture might be raising healthy kids while helping them find a passion for dance, sports, reading, or art. It may also be kids and parents who function without drama and fighting.

At work, a success culture is appreciation for a job well done and a healthy work environment. It is respect for leadership and the abilities of others. In our groups and homes, we thrive when appreciated, respected, and cared about.

Imagine your desires for your kids and grandkids. Think about your favorite teams or your church. We want to see our people happy, successful, and functioning well.  With that in mind, consider the success culture that takes a business, family, church, group, club, or sports team and creates a consistent winning combination.

What marks a success culture? What are the positive aspects of a group that gets the job done without infighting and drama?

How do we combat huge obstacles as a team?

In my experience, a success culture is marked by focus, discipline, work, and respect with a big dose of a positive attitude and fun on the side.

These attributes are the crux and modus operandi for a great working team of any kind. Whether in business, sports, or family, a great team comes from consistently honing the recipe for winning at life within your group.

At the heart of success, the single most important attribute is respect. Great leaders and organizations cultivate a success culture with respect as the foundation.

Translate that to a family, church, or business where all members are important and respected for their contributions, and leaders have the ear of the group without grumbling and infighting. Teams who will follow their leaders into battle without question respect one another.

From respect for your body, yourself, co-workers/teammates, family, to respect for the organization, respect will shape a team more than any other attitude. 

You won’t be late when you respect all the participants and your role in it. You won’t do things to ruin any part of your team. If you respect yourself, you won’t even go to places where you might end up in trouble. There won’t need to be a dictatorship in a culture of mutual respect, but there will still be leadership.

In fact, when all positions in a group or team are respected, everyone gets paid. Everyone is appreciated. No one takes all the money and credit. People share the work and play. Part of mutual respect is knowing one guy can’t be a whole team.  One superstar won’t get it done by him or herself.

Respect creates balance, appreciation, and healthy competition within the group and beyond. Most importantly, respect creates humility and gratitude for the other team members.

In a company one persons enthusiasm might create a positive culture and influence the company, but a group or team can’t run on excitement alone.

For instance, in the game of football, a superstar receiver might create excitement, but he can’t catch a ball if someone can’t throw it. A quarterback can’t throw if the line doesn’t protect him.

The kicker can’t kick if he gets pulverized every time he tries to put one through the uprights. If the offense is amazing and the defense is terrible, it is hard to put up enough points to keep ahead of the competition.

Respect for life and the value of people will change your own life.

Everyone’s job is vital.

We all know that some jobs are more difficult and require more education like a doctor who spends half his or her life in school, but without nurses or administrators, hospitals can’t function. For that matter, without advertising, we may not find a doctor.

Respect for all parts of the whole spreads and creates pride in the end product and humility to be a part.

People across all walks of life mention a happy family, personal joy, earning a living, and some time to enjoy the fruits of their labors as goals. Humans want a successful tribe.

The key to this success is respect. Start there and watch your group begin to succeed in new ways. See your family change when you act in a way that garners respect and when you give respect where it is due. Teach respect and model it in your life.

Create success culture with respect as the foundation, and the wins will follow.

Barefoot and respectful,

Kim

header Photo by Devon Schreiner from Pexels: view of Missouri

Success culture marked by respect.

More on what constitutes success in an article I found on business insider.