What's The Impact of Culture?

What's The Impact Of Culture?

By Daniel Ferguson

We've all seen Manchester United beat both Manchester City and Arsenal after Carrick's appointment. Yes, it's early days, but can we label this as a culture thing?

Being an ex-player for United, Carrick has a relationship with the club, he understands the culture: the club is in his heart. Do you think this has an impact? In my opinion, I think it does. Culture creates so much, can you remember a time you really enjoyed being apart of a team or felt connected to a group of people? It makes a difference right? I don't know what Carrick has done asides from change the formation, but I imagine he's made sure to try and create a good team environment.


Kenyan Basketball Players


In Kenyan basketball, teams with better cohesion (more togetherness as a team) won more often  and there's been a significant relationship found between team cohesion and better performance . It's evident that a better team environment can create better success.

Brad's Story

Brad loves handball but doesn't like his team. Ever since he joined they all argue with each other, get at each other for mistakes and he feels a lack of support. His coach will always have a go when he makes a mistake but doesn't even clap when he does something well. He's starting to lose the love for his favourite sport: he's starting to feel disconnected.

Ella's Story

Ella loves cricket but loves her team just as much! Yes sometimes they can disagree but they always sort things out after and support each other during training and games. She classes a lot of her team as her very good friends and is excited to see them when playing as well as playing the actual sport. She used to be in a team before but couldn't find form as they weren't as supportive. She's been playing her best cricket now due to her connection to her team because she feels more like herself and feels connected to the team values.

As seen with both stories, the better team environment supported the athlete. It makes a difference. 

Ella playing cricket

Like ants working together to build a nest or kill a spider, when a team works together, lift each other up and aims towards the same values and targets, they typically perform better. When Leicester City won the Premier League in the 2015/16 season their manager (Claudio Ranieri) insisted they went for pizza after getting a clean sheet. The small things make the difference. Culture makes a difference. A lot of Gareth Southgate's success came from creating a better team environment than what was there before: from team building exercises such as army camps, fun swimming pool games and personal notes to staff members. Even though a trophy wasn't won, it can't be denied England had better success. 

Ranieri and players eating pizza

I coach football at my university and a big aim of mine is making sure we have a good team environment and a couple of the players have said they have enjoyed the togetherness of the team. In sport, people can say it's all a physical game, but culture drives performance too. In any team or group dynamics in life, what can you do to create a better environment: to create impacts from culture. 

I hope you have enjoyed this blog! Feel free to reach out, do you agree that culture makes an impact?



Find Daniel Ferguson on:
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Instagram: @danferguson_sp
Twitter: @DanFergusonSP

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