The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups

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In this article, we will review some of Coyle’s insights into how great culture develops, how it can fuel collaboration, and how to sustain it. About the Author The contest had one rule: The marshmallow had to endup on top. The fascinating part of the experiment, however, had less to do with the task than with the participants. Some of the teams consisted of business school students. The oth- ers consisted of kindergartners. As with culture, a sense of belonging and safety aren't magic. They're created through several factors, such as open channels of communication. We've all been in situations where we've felt unheard or ignored. In cases like these, we usually respond with apathy or rebellion. In a workplace with a positive culture, everyone is invited to participate in open communication channels, no matter what seniority level you are. Furthermore, individuals within the group should feel validated and valued for their contributions. However, at the heart of wanting to be inside, rather than outside of a group, comes down to the belonging cues that we're given. According to Coyle, “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. Successful cultures do this by relentlessly seeking ways to tell and retell their story.” Jonathan’s group succeeds not because its members are smarter but because they are safer. We don’t normally think of safety as being so important. We consider safety to be the equivalent of an emotional weather system—noticeable but hardly a difference maker. But what we see here gives us a window into a powerful idea. Safety is not mere emotional weather but rather the foundation on which strong culture is built. The deeper questions are, Where does it come from? And how do you go about building it?

Exchanges of vulnerability, which we naturally tend to avoid, are the pathway through which trusting cooperation is built.” Pg. 112 Google is often used as the example that epitomizes excellent company culture. Its unique brand of culture is why it's a place where everyone wants to work.

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However, motivation is “a two-part process of channeling your attention”: it arises from understanding the gap between where you currently are, and where you want to end up. Thinking about it this way, it makes complete sense to engage in mental contrasting - establishing the link between the present and the future. People tend to think of vulnerability in a touchy-feely way, but that’s not what’s happening,…It’s about sending a really clear signal that you have weaknesses, that you could use help. And if that behavior becomes a model for others, then you can set the insecurities aside and get to work, start to trust each other and help each other. If you never have that vulnerable moment, on the other hand, then people will try to cover up their weaknesses, and every little microtask becomes a place where insecurities manifest themselves.” Dr. Jeff Polzer, pg. 104 This place is like a greenhouse,’ Hsieh says. ‘In some greenhouses, the leader plays the role of the plant that every other plant aspires to. But that’s not me. I’m not the plant that everyone aspires to be. My job is to architect the greenhouse.’” Pg. 67 The term “culture code” describes the attitudes, behaviors, beliefs, norms, and shared values that exist within a group or organization—a collective personality that guides and influences how group members interact.

We focus on what we can see—individual skills. But individual skills are not what matters. What matters is the interaction.” Pg. xvii The groups I studied had extremely low tolerance for bad apple behavior and, perhaps more important, were skilled at naming those behaviors.” Pg. 81

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the most effective listeners behave like trampolines. They aren’t passive sponges. They are active responders, absorbing what the other person gives, supporting them, and adding energy to help the conversation gain velocity and altitude.” Pg. 163 This obvious one is still worth mentioning, because laughter is not just laughter; it’s the most fundamental sign of safety and connection.” Pg. 88 He delivers two things over and over: He’ll tell you the truth, with no bullshit, and then he’ll love you to death.” Pg. 52 Spending time together outside, hanging out—those help. One of the best things I’ve found to improve a team’s cohesion is to send them to do some hard, hard training. There’s something about hanging off a cliff together, and being wet and cold and miserable together, that makes a team come together.” Pg. 140

Success and achievements must be measured by things that are important for your company and reflect the bigger vision behind it. For example, Zappos call center workers were measured by the number of calls they handled per hour – but it had nothing to do with their real purpose, and, even worse, being in a hurry meant people made more mistakes. Sentence-Summary: The Culture Code examines the dynamics of groups, large and small, formal and informal, to help you understand how great teams work and what you can do to improve your relationships wherever you cooperate with others. This lesson focuses on creating cooperation and boosting collaboration within groups and between individuals.

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The business students got right to work. They began talk- ing and thinking strategically. They examined the materials. Performance concerns the work you actually get paid for, and if it’s not good enough, that will have an impact on your salary; while development is about growth, which is more personal. Use flash mentoring 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 The interesting thing about Givechi’s question is how transcendently simple they are. They have less to do with design than with connecting to deeper emotions: fear, ambition, motivation.” Pg. 153 There's a moment in class where the teacher says, 'I'm going to divide you into groups to work on this project.' For many of us, this is enough to make us break out into a sweat. But, why is this? Humans are social animals, and we're designed to interact with others, so why is group work, and working in teams, so difficult for so many of us?

Group culture is one of the most powerful forces on the planet. We sense its presence inside successful businesses, hampionship teams, and thriving families, and we sense when it’s absent or toxic. We can measure its impact on the bottom line. (A strong culture increases net income 756 percent over eleven years, according to a Harvard study of more han two hundred companies.) Yet the inner workings of ulture remain mysterious. We all want strong culture in our organizations, communities, and families. We all know that t works. We just don’t know quite how it works.

Ensuring that everyone has a voice is easy to talk about but hard to accomplish. This is why many successful groups use simple mechanisms that encourage, spotlight, and value full-group contribution. For example, many groups follow the rule that no meeting can end without everyone sharing something.” Pg. 83 Studying successful teams, Coyle noticed an interesting thing: all people would describe their teams with the same word. They didn’t call their colleagues friends or a tribe. They called them a family. We feel safe in a family circle, don’t we? This feeling is not rational, but it’s the connection those people developed with each other that made it possible for them to succeed. Coyle says that there are two main types of skills – skills of proficiency, and skills of creativity. Of course, some areas require a specific type of skills, so a group must clearly understand what exactly is needed in each particular situation.