Sean McDermott: "Culture Trumps Strategy" ?​​​​​​​

[BADOLBILZ]

1 hour ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I don't know that I agree with you here.  Culture, in reality, is the set of beliefs, assumptions and expectations that govern how people within an organization actually interact and behave.  Culture as spoken about by management, is often the expression of an aspirational set of values that are observed by the rank-and-file not to match behaviors that are in practice rewarded.

 

 

 

 

Many of the most successful companies in the world actually create their success thru a few innovators and decision makers at the top and then a bunch of very, very inexpensive foreign labor and material providers.    The people in the middle serve a purpose but don't necessarily create separation from competitors or upstarts.    A lot of those companies are purposefully big on talking about their "culture" because it's pretty eyewash.........but it's not ACTUALLY organization-wide.    Not even CLOSE.  ?

 

The reality is that most successful companies have various levels of personnel that are held to different "culture" standards.

 

This is how it generally is in the NFL as well.............which is why McD's trash has become more successful teams treasure.

 

 

[liverpoolkev]

2 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

He took at team that was nearly as devoid of talent and went to the playoffs last year

 

Which basically.....makes your take look clownish

Oh you mean when McDermott made the call for Peterman to play instead of TYROD....boy that sure worked out.......Now that was clownish ... Thank God Tyrod got them to the playoffs because the fool of a coach was trying to keep them from going ........McDermott and clownish not that is a nice synonym....  

[oldmanfan]

1 minute ago, liverpoolkev said:

Oh you mean when McDermott made the call for Peterman to play instead of TYROD....boy that sure worked out.......Now that was clownish ... Thank God Tyrod got them to the playoffs because the fool of a coach was trying to keep them from going ........McDermott and clownish not that is a nice synonym....  

And the culture he established allowed him to explain to the team that decision, explain why he did so, admit it was a wrong decision, go back to Tyrod.  And make the playoffs.

5 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

 

 

Many of the most successful companies in the world actually create their success thru a few innovators and decision makers at the top and then a bunch of very, very inexpensive foreign labor and material providers.    The people in the middle serve a purpose but don't necessarily create separation from competitors or upstarts.    A lot of those companies are purposefully big on talking about their "culture" because it's pretty eyewash.........but it's not ACTUALLY organization-wide.    Not even CLOSE.  ?

 

The reality is that most successful companies have various levels of personnel that are held to different "culture" standards.

 

This is how it generally is in the NFL as well.............which is why McD's trash has become more successful teams treasure.

 

 

Leaders define the culture for their organization.  Successful organizations  have leaders that live that culture and hold employees to it.  Poor leaders do not; they expect employees to be accountable to the culture while violating it themselves.  Such organizations have problems because employees can see their leaders do not believe their own words.  Seen it happen on more than one occasion.

[SoTier]

2 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I don't know that I agree with you here.  Culture, in reality, is the set of beliefs, assumptions and expectations that govern how people within an organization actually interact and behave.  Culture as spoken about by management, is often the expression of an aspirational set of values that are observed by the rank-and-file not to match behaviors that are in practice rewarded.

 

This is pretty much the accepted definition/description of corporate/organizational culture.  Culture develops endemically over time based on the actual interactions between management and employees, not on management edicts or pep talks.  Like a society's culture, a corporate culture develops over a long time without a distinct beginning or end unless there's some cataclysmic event -- like a change of ownership of a football team -- that results in massive personnel changes at the very top of the corporate food chain which changes the way the organization is run.

 

The Bills have a culture, but it's not at all what McDermott -- and his supporters on TSW -- claim it is.  It's pretty much the same culture that developed  under Russ Brandon's aegis since he was put in charge of the Bills in 2006 after Tom Donahoe was fired.  When Pegula purchased the Bills in 2013, if he wanted to change the team's direction, he should have parted ways with Russ Brandon, Doug Whaley, Jim Overdorf, etc and brought in his own people from the top down.  Instead, he kept Brandon and his top henchmen.  McDermott and Beane were hired because they fit the Bills culture that had developed under Brandon, which is why the Bills seem to being doing similar things under the new regime that they did under the previous regime and the one before that ...  The real difference is that Beane and the scouting department he assembled after Whaley and the old scouts were fired seem to be incompetent as talent evaluators which accentuates McDermott's failure to field a competitive NFL team because of his "my way or the highway" philosophy.

 

 

Edited October 7, 2018 by SoTier

[Victory Formation]

29 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

Successful organizations  have leaders that live that culture and hold employees to it.  Poor leaders do not; they expect employees to be accountable to the culture while violating it themselves.  Such organizations have problems because employees can see their leaders do not believe their own words.  Seen it happen on more than one occasion.

Lawrence Taylor, Michael Irvin, Terrell Owens, Antonio Brown, Richard Sherman, Marshawn Lynch, Stephon Gilmore, Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, Marcell Dareus.

 

Elite coaches manage personalities, period.

[SoTier]

24 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

I'm one who has lived it and developed it.  Your statement indicates you don't have a clue.  Instead of blowing hot air, answer the one question I have posed:  name one successful  organization that does not have a successful culture.

 

You aren't the only who has "lived it" in the corporate world, dude, and you're just incorrect when you claim that you "developed it" because a corporate/organizational culture can't be "developed" by a single individual or even several individuals like a facilities maintenance plan or a new software program.  It develops pretty much on its own over time from a series of interactions between management and employees.  What you've described in your past posts seems much more like a corporate philosophy or a mission statement (for non-profits) which also brings customers/clients into the equation rather than culture, although the corporate/organizational culture can certainly impact customers/clients.

[oldmanfan]

56 minutes ago, SoTier said:

 

You aren't the only who has "lived it" in the corporate world, dude, and you're just incorrect when you claim that you "developed it" because a corporate/organizational culture can't be "developed" by a single individual or even several individuals like a facilities maintenance plan or a new software program.  It develops pretty much on its own over time from a series of interactions between management and employees.  What you've described in your past posts seems much more like a corporate philosophy or a mission statement (for non-profits) which also brings customers/clients into the equation rather than culture, although the corporate/organizational culture can certainly impact customers/clients.

Developed it as leader as one of the leaders of my current organization and others.  As one of a group of leaders, led by a CEO who gets it.  You're right that it develops, butbbecausevthe leaders of the organization are committed to its growth.

 

Why is it no one yet can give me an example of a successful organization without a successful culture?

1 hour ago, NewDayBills said:

Lawrence Taylor, Michael Irvin, Terrell Owens, Antonio Brown, Richard Sherman, Marshawn Lynch, Stephon Gilmore, Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, Marcell Dareus.

 

Elite coaches manage personalities, period.

Successful coaches set up cultures that allow for certain behaviors.  Your first 5 names are all guys that were controversial but gave their all in terms of play on the field. McD and others can live with that.  It's when they underperform and refuse to be motivated like Dareus where you have problems.  And even the good guys like the first 5 get let go when they become too estranged from culture.

 

You are making the same mistake others made with his quote. Culture and talent are not mutually exclusive.

[Victory Formation]

10 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

Why is it no one yet can give me an example of a successful organization without a successful culture?

Successful coaches set up cultures that allow for certain behaviors.  Your first 5 names are all guys that were controversial but gave their all in terms of play on the field. McD and others can live with that.  It's when they underperform and refuse to be motivated like Dareus where you have problems.  And even the good guys like the first 5 get let go when they become too estranged from culture.

 

You are making the same mistake others made with his quote. Culture and talent are not mutually exclusive.

Winning creates culture and if you have a guy that is the best at his craft, he will have a ginormous ego. Do you think Bruce, Jimbo, Andre and Thurm were choir boys? Absolutely not! Marv just knew how to manage supremely talented men with enormous personalities. Any elite athlete will be that way, moxy is good not bad.

[ColoradoBills]

Buffalo Bills 2019 Draft Class.

 

 

[oldmanfan]

27 minutes ago, NewDayBills said:

Winning creates culture and if you have a guy that is the best at his craft, he will have a ginormous ego. Do you think Bruce, Jimbo, Andre and Thurm were choir boys? Absolutely not! Marv just knew how to manage supremely talented men with enormous personalities. Any elite athlete will be that way, moxy is good not bad.

You have it backwards.  The guys you mention plus guys like Jordan or Bird were immensely talented but bought into the team culture.  Bought in so much they led others into buying in.  Brady does that now.  

[Victory Formation]

1 minute ago, oldmanfan said:

You have it backwards.  The guys you mention plus guys like Jordan or Bird were immensely talented but bought into the team culture.  Bought in so much they led others into buying in.  Brady does that now.  

Oh, yeah? Kelly dodging the Bills for 3 years in the USFL is buying in to team culture? Nahhhh. That's called Buffalo realizing they had an elite talent and figuring out a way to make it work. Once we started winning, then Kelly bought in, he didn't even want to be here. Winning solves all problems and reinforces players psychologically and encourages a more powerful team mentality and team confidence. That's why the good franchises are always good and the bad ones seem to have a hard time turning it around.

[Turk71]

Does culture trump process? That should have been the follow up question. Is it a tie?

[Big Gun]

8 hours ago, oldmanfan said:

You have it backwards.  The guys you mention plus guys like Jordan or Bird were immensely talented but bought into the team culture.  Bought in so much they led others into buying in.  Brady does that now.  

Bulls had a losing culture before MJ arrived. 

 

Just as I thought, you are a corporate shill who came up with a new company catch phrase that is phantom as you can't see it, can't touch it, and can't explain it.

 

The only culture in the medical profession is how to screw patients out of all of their hard earned money.  That definitely is a culture everyone knows about!  

[oldmanfan]

3 minutes ago, pop gun said:

Bulls had a losing culture before MJ arrived. 

 

Just as I thought, you are a corporate shill who came up with a new company catch phrase that is phantom as you can't see it, can't touch it, and can't explain it.

 

The only culture in the medical profession is how to screw patients out of all of their hard earned money.  That definitely is a culture everyone knows about!  

I've explained it a number of times now.  You're too ignorant to understand it.

[Big Gun]

1 hour ago, oldmanfan said:

I've explained it a number of times now.  You're too ignorant to understand it.

Nah, all you've explained is this phony culture belief yet won't listen to others who question it and or debunk it, that's ignorance!

[oldmanfan]

1 minute ago, pop gun said:

Nah, all you've explained is this phony culture belief yet won't listen to others who question it and or debunk it, that's ignorance!

When you offer a reasonable argument I'll be happy to discuss.   All you're doing is barking at the moon.

 

As an example when you say all health care folks do is rip off patients it is not only wrong and insulting but completely ignorant 

[MAJBobby]

And the Transformation to Dicky J is COMPLETE. 

[Bing Bong]

On 10/5/2018 at 2:46 PM, Straight Hucklebuck said:

My own theory is culture and leadership are overrated. 

I think winning football games with as much talent as often as possible creates a winning culture and leadership naturally.. mostly cause players uh... Give a crap about competing for the SB. Don't agree with McD one bit here. Put your big boy pants on and discipline your talented players instead of getting rid of them.

[BADOLBILZ]

23 hours ago, oldmanfan said:

And the culture he established allowed him to explain to the team that decision, explain why he did so, admit it was a wrong decision, go back to Tyrod.  And make the playoffs.

Leaders define the culture for their organization.  Successful organizations  have leaders that live that culture and hold employees to it.  Poor leaders do not; they expect employees to be accountable to the culture while violating it themselves.  Such organizations have problems because employees can see their leaders do not believe their own words.  Seen it happen on more than one occasion.

 

 

So Steve Jobs lived the "Apple culture" and held employees to it?    You gotta' be kidding with that nonsense.?

 

 

[oldmanfan]

8 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

So Steve Jobs lived the "Apple culture" and held employees to it?    You gotta' be kidding with that nonsense.?

 

 

Yes he did.  His was an autocratic culture.  Not all cultures are the same.

[BADOLBILZ]

8 hours ago, oldmanfan said:

Yes he did.  His was an autocratic culture.  Not all cultures are the same.

 

Yep there are two kinds......winning and losing.........that's what I've been told on TSW.?

 

 

[oldmanfan]

2 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

Yep there are two kinds......winning and losing.........that's what I've been told on TSW.?

 

 

Somehow I knew you'd come back.  You can't stand being told you might be in error on something, can you?

 

I figured you'd circle back, so here's a reference to types of organizational culture  Steve Jobs I think would fit within the Market oriented culture.  Focused on differentiation in the market with a desire for strong control on his part.  McDermott might be more on the left side on the graph with focus on internalization and integration. 

 

Yes, ultimately organizations either win or lose, doesn't matter if you're a football team, business, church, whatever.  Culture defines the personality of the organization and how leaders see as the right paths to become that winning organization.

 

I know this is more complex than you might want to acknowledge but the real world is composed of grays, and not just black and whites.

 

[TheElectricCompany]

Talent, strategy and cash are more important. 

 

 

Edited October 8, 2018 by TheElectricCompany

[BADOLBILZ]

8 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

Somehow I knew you'd come back.  You can't stand being told you might be in error on something, can you?

 

I figured you'd circle back, so here's a reference to types of organizational culture  Steve Jobs I think would fit within the Market oriented culture.  Focused on differentiation in the market with a desire for strong control on his part.  McDermott might be more on the left side on the graph with focus on internalization and integration. 

 

Yes, ultimately organizations either win or lose, doesn't matter if you're a football team, business, church, whatever.  Culture defines the personality of the organization and how leaders see as the right paths to become that winning organization.

 

I know this is more complex than you might want to acknowledge but the real world is composed of grays, and not just black and whites.

 

 

 

So I'm wrong to think that a company can be successful without good culture?     

 

That's the contention I was responding too...........and it's NOT that simple.    Lot's of grays.

 

I'm a believer in good culture on a football team but culture without difference makers will only get you to mediocrity and that absence of real success will ultimately undermine said culture.

 

[nedboy7]

Great article on SI today about coaching. 

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/10/08/buffalo-bills-tennessee-titans-josh-allen-sean-mcdermott

[oldmanfan]

2 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

So I'm wrong to think that a company can be successful without good culture?     

 

That's the contention I was responding too...........and it's NOT that simple.    Lot's of grays.

 

I'm a believer in good culture on a football team but culture without difference makers will only get you to mediocrity and that absence of real success will ultimately undermine said culture.

 

I don't know of a successfulculture that has not defined, and more importantly lived, its culture.  I know of many who claim a culture but the leaders did not follow it.  That's a sure sign of failure.

Successful company I meant.

[Coach Tuesday]

On 10/3/2018 at 3:55 PM, Coach Tuesday said:

Again, McD speaks like he's been given the reigns to a collegiate program.  I think he really believes this to be the case.  I also think the Pegulas never signed up for a 10 year cultural experiment and things are going to reach a fever pitch in November if linemen are still colliding with each other on running plays and their highly-invested young QB is on the sideline wearing a cast... 

 

I don't see McDermott lasting through next season, unless things change drastically and soon.

 

Welp... we’ll see how culture does now...

Edited October 17, 2018 by Coach Tuesday