“We came in and changed the roster and then you have to change the way people think—the mindset, the culture, the identity of your football team.” Coach Curt Cignetti
I have never paid much attention to Indiana’s football team until Fernando Mendoza won the Heisman trophy. Now, I can’t get enough of of Mendoza’s interviews. Last night’s Peach Bowl was an incredible game to watch. However, what impressed me the most was Mendoza’s post-game interview (seriously, who doesn’t love watching his interviews?). This is what struck me when asked about the team’s success:
“We’re a bunch of misfits. There are zero five-stars on our team…We’re just guys, glued together, trying to reach a common goal – to win each and every single game...It’s a collaborative effort and with a strong culture, you can accomplish anything…we have a strong culture in the locker room, in the coaching staff, and the entire support staff in our administration…But with those three things, it’s great synergy in our program and that’s why we’re headed to the national championship.” (Source)
If you are an educator, read those words again. In my 25.5 years in education, I can’t even begin to tell you how many times school culture is discussed in meetings/professional development. I think teachers have become desensitized to the entire subject because talking about having a strong culture and actually creating a strong culture are two different aspects. If you are an administrator who tells teachers the importance of a strong culture but create an environment that says otherwise, what do you expect? Creating a strong school culture is more than just saying why it is important. It takes action. So, what can admin do to create a strong school culture? After taking a deeper look at Coach Cignetti’s philosophy and the culture he’s built, here are some ways schools can apply the same approach.
First, his value and respect for everyone’s time. In one of the post-game discussions, it was stated many would think that the team is meeting and practicing every day of the week. However, it was then stated Coach Cignetti’s philosophy is to value and respect everyone’s time which ultimately leads to effective team practices. Principals, do you value staff’s time? Do you have a meeting when what you needed to say could have been sent in an email? Are meetings productive or are you just checking the box? Is quality/beneficial professional development created? Are schools valuing classroom instruction? Nothing is more bothersome for a teacher who consistently loses valuable classroom instruction for unnecessary disruptions.
Second, accountability (source). Coach Cignetti – “It starts with accountability. You can’t have a culture if there’s no accountability. That’s how you build trust.” No, I am not talking about the “accountability model” that justifies all this ridiculous standardized testing. I am talking about accountability for EVERYONE within the walls of the school building – students, teachers, staff, principals. EVERYONE! Principals, do you constantly remind staff to be on time only to allow consistently-late teachers to consistently show up late? Or what about when a policy is created but a few don’t follow the policy, which, in essence, makes it difficult for the teacher who is trying to enforce the policy? What about student behavior? Are students being held accountability for the “little” things such as disrespect to a teacher or are their behaviors being justified and overlooked?
Third, unity (source). Read the following quotes by Coach Cignetti.
“It’s not about one player or one coach—it’s about the whole team pulling in the same direction.”
“I’ve coached a lot of teams, but the ones that win are the ones that play for each other.”
“I always say, talent can win you games, but chemistry wins championships.”
There isn’t a playbook on how to build unity in a school, but I do believe that you have to have the first two points before a school has unity, especially accountability. It is very easy to tear apart each other through words (gossip) and actions. All it takes is one teacher who fuels negativity to cause harm in a unified team. Be different. You can’t “win championships” when there is division within the team.
Last, trust (source).
“You hire good people, you trust them, and you let them do their jobs.”
“Micromanaging doesn’t build leaders—it builds frustration. I believe in empowerment.”
I may stretch this last point but it is one that needs to be addressed across our nation.
I usually say we don’t have a teacher shortage problem; we have a teacher retainment problem. Principals, what are you doing to value and respect your veteran teachers? There is so much talk about recruiting the next generation of educators but what are you, principals and district administration, doing to keep your veteran teachers in the classroom? (these are all rhetorical questions meant to be thought-provoking). So many younger teachers don’t feel comfortable enough to address concerns with those in administrative positions. Veteran teachers, however, usually feel more comfortable being that person to speak on behalf of others. Admin, are you listening? Are you brushing off these concerns? Are you even wanting those veteran teachers at your school? Do you value their input? How do these questions tie into trust? Because building leaders within the walls of a school go beyond administrative positions, and if you can’t value the input from these veteran teachers, then there is a level of trust broken. It isn’t only hiring good people; it is doing what you can to keep the good teachers. (I could write another post just on micromanaging but will let you reflect on that quote yourself)
I have always been a college football fan (well, maybe more SEC than any other conference) but watching this Hoosier team has been so much fun! I have never seen camaraderie and unity and friendship like what I have witnessed with them. There is no doubt that this team’s culture has led to their success. What Coach Cignetti has built isn’t rocket science—it’s a playbook schools can use anywhere.
“A winning culture doesn’t happen by accident. You have to be intentional every day.”
