Ready for a masterclass in building a winning culture? I only ask because that’s what Mel Tucker, head football coach at Michigan State University, delivers on this week’s episode of the Men’s Journal Everyday Warrior Podcast. This article is part of our Talking Series, a weekly segment where we break down a topic discussed by our most recent guest.
When Coach Tucker arrived at MSU in 2020, he began rebuilding the program’s culture. While an incredible undertaking, the 23 years he’d spent on the coaching staff of teams such as the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Chicago Bears taught him the importance of fostering a strong culture. In 2021, everyone else realized just how right Coach Tucker was when his team finished the season 11-2 and beat the Pittsburgh Panthers in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl.
Coach Tucker believes that a strong culture is the result of how we choose to live and behave every day. Here are his non-negotiables for building a winning culture.
1. Open Debate
Passionate debate is the hallmark of a robust winning culture. As a leader who encourages staff to share their opinions, Tucker wonders, “How can a culture be great if people don’t love and trust each other enough to speak up?” When debate is not happening within an organization, it’s an indication that something’s very wrong. “If people don’t feel like they can speak up, it comes down to poor leadership.”
Once a coach, or any leader for that matter, makes a decision, his entire staff is 100 percent behind him. That’s non-negotiable. Before that decision, there’s agreement and disagreement. That’s also non-negotiable.
2. Attitude
Tucker is adamantly opposed to two things: negativity and unearned positivity. When you’re down 16 points at halftime, what’s there to be positive about? Instead of giving his team a rah-rah speech in those situations, they discuss what they need to do. Negativity is just as unproductive and dangerous. While a negative thought is powerful, verbalizing is far more potent. That’s because negativity is contagious and can quickly rip through an organization, destroying morale.
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