Make Winning Culture
Make Winning Culture
Make Winning Culture
Make Winning Culture
Engagement leads to effectiveness and success. Organizations that want to succeed should increase their focus on creating a winning culture so that employees will be engaged and able to do their best.
It’s undeniable. Organizations with the most engaged teams do the best.
Engagement leads to effectiveness and success. This is certainly true in business, but it’s also true for every organization, from basketball teams all the way to nonprofit organizations, startups, and well-established global enterprises.
Everyone has to buy in. When team members work together for the purpose of an organization and for the work they are expected and empowered to do, they can’t help but succeed.
To create meaningful engagement, you need a strong culture. And strong cultures must be built on purpose.
Basketball teams that have a well-defined, engaging culture do better year after year. This was true for Duke under head coach Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski. Coach K is the winningest coach in men’s college basketball history. Coach K often shares how to develop team culture by building trust and setting standards, not rules.
“Create collective responsibility for every member of your team to work toward a common goal.” - Coach K
Engagement Matters
Culture leads to engagement in business too. An analysis of The Wall Street Journal’s Management Top 250 reveals that those with the best investment returns follow a clear pattern. “The thing that seems to be driving value is how the workforce is engaged,” says David Sprott, dean of the Drucker School of Management in Claremont and a contributor to the Bern study.*
Organizations that want to succeed should increase their focus on creating a winning culture so that their employees will be engaged and able to do their best.
Winning Culture Is On Purpose
Just like the right order to build and run a business starts with purpose, the culture of an organization flows from its purpose as well. The leader’s responsibility is to align all things to the end goals of the organization. Alignment with purpose is especially important in the way the organization hires and trains people. Putting purpose and people ahead of profit increases engagement.
Culture must be built on purpose. Andy Crouch, the author of Culture Making, defines culture as "what we make of the world,” encompassing both the tangible artifacts and the meaning we create. This emphasizes that culture is a collaborative, human endeavor. Crouch also notes that culture is not static but constantly being created, shaped, and reshaped by human activity.
Watch this excellent example as Coach K influences his former team by refining their purpose and encouraging them to “talk” — meaning to communicate and collaborate to achieve their purpose as a team.
Talk Is Engaging
Coach K makes it clear that a team that knows its purpose (to win a championship) will master the fundamentals of “talking” with their mouths to communicate with each other and stay connected. They “talk” with their actions to encourage each other in their work in a momentous way.
Any team that “talks” like this increases engagement and effectiveness, simultaneously!
This is a great example for all organizations, especially those who know their purpose.
Talk Is On Purpose
Most of the world is trying to take what they can from society. Those who know and follow Jesus have a very different purpose. Believers in Jesus know they are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) and given a responsibility to create, renew, and reconcile the culture around them. They are transformed by Jesus and want to influence and shape the world around them.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. - [.no-reftag]Romans 12:2[.no-reftag]
To stay on purpose is not just countercultural, but instead influences, tests, lifts, and shapes the world around us toward God’s will.
“I wonder what we Christians are known for in the world outside our churches. Are we known as critics, consumers, copiers, condemners of culture? I’m afraid so. Why aren’t we known as cultivators—people who tend and nourish what is best in human culture, who do the hard and painstaking work to preserve the best of what people before us have done? Why aren’t we known as creators—people who dare to think and do something that has never been thought or done before, something that makes the world more welcoming and thrilling and beautiful?” - Andy Crouch, Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling
Talk Influences Purpose
If we are going to influence change in the culture of our organizations and the world around us, we are going to have to “talk” like Coach K recommends. Andy Crouch makes the same point: “If culture is to change, it will be because some new tangible (or audible or visible or olfactory) thing is presented to a wide enough public that it begins to reshape their world.”
[.text-color-blue]For Excellent Work — Talk On Purpose:[.text-color-blue]
- Constantly and clearly let people know the purpose of your organization
- Evaluate situations and effectiveness and align actions back toward purpose
- Communicate and collaborate to get the best ideas and actions from the entire team
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." - [.no-reftag]Colossians 3:23-24[.no-reftag]
[.text-color-blue]To Bless Others — Talk to Encourage One Another:[.text-color-blue]
- Let teammates know the excellent work they are doing
- Let them know how they can use their gifts to contribute better and differently
- Keep reminding them of what to do on purpose and how the team is doing
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” - [.no-reftag]1 Thessalonians 5:11[.no-reftag]
[.text-color-blue]To Lead Others to Jesus — Talk About Jesus:[.text-color-blue]
- Build trust through consistent actions of caring for teammates — actions that talk louder than words
- Let teammates know you care for them over the business goals and objectives
- Talk to them about what Jesus has done for you and let your light shine!
“‘Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?’ They came…” - [.no-reftag]John 4:29[.no-reftag]
Resources:
Video: "Create Engaging Culture for Good" | Howard Graham
Article: "Building Business on Purpose"
Video: "Corporate Strategy | 3 Keys to Go from Good to Great to Glory" | The Way to Work Series
Video: "Work For Ends, Not Means" | Howard Graham
MasterClass: "Cultivate a Winning Team Culture" | Coach K
Article: "The Best-Managed Companies Do It All—but Do Some Things Especially Well" | The Wall Street Journal
Book: Culture Making | Andy Crouch
*“The Best-Managed Companies Do It All—but Do Some Things Especially Well” by Rick Wartzman and Kelly Tang, The Wall Street Journal
Photo credits: (Top left) Florida Gators Basketball vs U Conn Huskies, Photo by Maddie Washburn; (Top right) Mar 22, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Jahmai Mashack (15) reacts after a play during the first half against the UCLA Bruins in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Rupp Arena. Photo Credit: Aaron Doster - Imagn Images; (Bottom left) Mar 23, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Mississippi Rebels guard Sean Pedulla (3) celebrates with teammates after defeating the Iowa State Cyclones in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Fiserv Forum. Photo Credit: Benny Sieu - Imagn Images; (Bottom right) Photo credit: Rob Kinnan - Imagn Images
It’s undeniable. Organizations with the most engaged teams do the best.
Engagement leads to effectiveness and success. This is certainly true in business, but it’s also true for every organization, from basketball teams all the way to nonprofit organizations, startups, and well-established global enterprises.
Everyone has to buy in. When team members work together for the purpose of an organization and for the work they are expected and empowered to do, they can’t help but succeed.
To create meaningful engagement, you need a strong culture. And strong cultures must be built on purpose.
Basketball teams that have a well-defined, engaging culture do better year after year. This was true for Duke under head coach Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski. Coach K is the winningest coach in men’s college basketball history. Coach K often shares how to develop team culture by building trust and setting standards, not rules.
“Create collective responsibility for every member of your team to work toward a common goal.” - Coach K
Engagement Matters
Culture leads to engagement in business too. An analysis of The Wall Street Journal’s Management Top 250 reveals that those with the best investment returns follow a clear pattern. “The thing that seems to be driving value is how the workforce is engaged,” says David Sprott, dean of the Drucker School of Management in Claremont and a contributor to the Bern study.*
Organizations that want to succeed should increase their focus on creating a winning culture so that their employees will be engaged and able to do their best.
Winning Culture Is On Purpose
Just like the right order to build and run a business starts with purpose, the culture of an organization flows from its purpose as well. The leader’s responsibility is to align all things to the end goals of the organization. Alignment with purpose is especially important in the way the organization hires and trains people. Putting purpose and people ahead of profit increases engagement.
Culture must be built on purpose. Andy Crouch, the author of Culture Making, defines culture as "what we make of the world,” encompassing both the tangible artifacts and the meaning we create. This emphasizes that culture is a collaborative, human endeavor. Crouch also notes that culture is not static but constantly being created, shaped, and reshaped by human activity.
Watch this excellent example as Coach K influences his former team by refining their purpose and encouraging them to “talk” — meaning to communicate and collaborate to achieve their purpose as a team.
Talk Is Engaging
Coach K makes it clear that a team that knows its purpose (to win a championship) will master the fundamentals of “talking” with their mouths to communicate with each other and stay connected. They “talk” with their actions to encourage each other in their work in a momentous way.
Any team that “talks” like this increases engagement and effectiveness, simultaneously!
This is a great example for all organizations, especially those who know their purpose.
Talk Is On Purpose
Most of the world is trying to take what they can from society. Those who know and follow Jesus have a very different purpose. Believers in Jesus know they are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) and given a responsibility to create, renew, and reconcile the culture around them. They are transformed by Jesus and want to influence and shape the world around them.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. - [.no-reftag]Romans 12:2[.no-reftag]
To stay on purpose is not just countercultural, but instead influences, tests, lifts, and shapes the world around us toward God’s will.
“I wonder what we Christians are known for in the world outside our churches. Are we known as critics, consumers, copiers, condemners of culture? I’m afraid so. Why aren’t we known as cultivators—people who tend and nourish what is best in human culture, who do the hard and painstaking work to preserve the best of what people before us have done? Why aren’t we known as creators—people who dare to think and do something that has never been thought or done before, something that makes the world more welcoming and thrilling and beautiful?” - Andy Crouch, Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling
Talk Influences Purpose
If we are going to influence change in the culture of our organizations and the world around us, we are going to have to “talk” like Coach K recommends. Andy Crouch makes the same point: “If culture is to change, it will be because some new tangible (or audible or visible or olfactory) thing is presented to a wide enough public that it begins to reshape their world.”
[.text-color-blue]For Excellent Work — Talk On Purpose:[.text-color-blue]
- Constantly and clearly let people know the purpose of your organization
- Evaluate situations and effectiveness and align actions back toward purpose
- Communicate and collaborate to get the best ideas and actions from the entire team
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." - [.no-reftag]Colossians 3:23-24[.no-reftag]
[.text-color-blue]To Bless Others — Talk to Encourage One Another:[.text-color-blue]
- Let teammates know the excellent work they are doing
- Let them know how they can use their gifts to contribute better and differently
- Keep reminding them of what to do on purpose and how the team is doing
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” - [.no-reftag]1 Thessalonians 5:11[.no-reftag]
[.text-color-blue]To Lead Others to Jesus — Talk About Jesus:[.text-color-blue]
- Build trust through consistent actions of caring for teammates — actions that talk louder than words
- Let teammates know you care for them over the business goals and objectives
- Talk to them about what Jesus has done for you and let your light shine!
“‘Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?’ They came…” - [.no-reftag]John 4:29[.no-reftag]
Resources:
Video: "Create Engaging Culture for Good" | Howard Graham
Article: "Building Business on Purpose"
Video: "Corporate Strategy | 3 Keys to Go from Good to Great to Glory" | The Way to Work Series
Video: "Work For Ends, Not Means" | Howard Graham
MasterClass: "Cultivate a Winning Team Culture" | Coach K
Article: "The Best-Managed Companies Do It All—but Do Some Things Especially Well" | The Wall Street Journal
Book: Culture Making | Andy Crouch
*“The Best-Managed Companies Do It All—but Do Some Things Especially Well” by Rick Wartzman and Kelly Tang, The Wall Street Journal
Photo credits: (Top left) Florida Gators Basketball vs U Conn Huskies, Photo by Maddie Washburn; (Top right) Mar 22, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Jahmai Mashack (15) reacts after a play during the first half against the UCLA Bruins in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Rupp Arena. Photo Credit: Aaron Doster - Imagn Images; (Bottom left) Mar 23, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Mississippi Rebels guard Sean Pedulla (3) celebrates with teammates after defeating the Iowa State Cyclones in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Fiserv Forum. Photo Credit: Benny Sieu - Imagn Images; (Bottom right) Photo credit: Rob Kinnan - Imagn Images