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The Detroit Lions Culture
- 1. The Detroit Lions Culture BY MAKAYLA BOYINK
- 2. Article Review The Detroit Lions culture is struggling to survive on the field and many changes have been taking place all over the organization Jim Caldwell will continue to be the head coach and he has received a contract extension Sheldon White is now the general manager Martha Ford, who is the owner of the football team, fired general manager Martin Mayhew and team president Tom Lewand The team always seems to be losing games in various different ways They carry a losing gene and they do not finish the games they are playing Staff and players are not improving on the field The organization is in a state of utter dysfunction and they are trying their best to fix their failing, on the field, association The changes that the team is making to improve on the field are not beneficial and they are only remaining the same The Lions run on the whims of ownership and are currently more concerned about details that do not relate to winning football games More recently, the Detroit Lions are doing things that are normally necessary to win, but they still have a long way to go Caldwell took the team to the playoffs after having underperforming seasons years before Peers did take notice of the job Caldwell did in leading the Lions to 11 wins two seasons ago
- 3. Article Review Continued Jim Caldwell’s personality is positively impacting the team The way they do things is changing Caldwell is not satisfied with just making the playoffs, he eventually wants to make it all the way to the Super Bowl They are going to build in a steady and sound way The team is not looking for quick fixes, but they want to get better on details more and more every year The football team has had some off the field issues with money such as salary caps Caldwell and the Detroit Lions need to maintain a level of success and become a consistent winner in the league Caldwell is a great coach, but a better man and he will continue to bring a positive light to the team He is turning the football team’s culture around quickly The team has a great group of talent and they are beginning to win some more games through the coaching changes The challenge is to grow and build from what they are doing already
- 4. Culture Culture is a complicated patchwork of values, symbols, and behaviors that define companies in various ways for various people Each organization has its own way of doing things Prescriptive Approaches to culture consider culture as something that an organization has and organizations are complex arenas of stories, they also have strong implemented values Deal and Kennedy’s “Strong Culture” believes an organization will be successful in their performance through having a strong culture Values, Heroes, Rites and Rituals, and Cultural Networks are involved in this approach Peter and Waterman’s “Excellent Culture” identifies aspects of organizational culture that are in a high-performing association Many themes make up this concept Descriptive and Explanatory Approaches to culture consider culture as something that an organization is and individuals make sense of their world through their communicative behaviors Organizational cultures are complicated, emergent, not unitary, and ambiguous
- 5. Deal and Kennedy’s “Strong Culture” Values Values are the beliefs and visions that members of the organization hold The Detroit Lions have values revolving around a family-like environment: Treat one another like you want to be treated Be direct with each other The team should not have any indirect/fuzzy issues Have respect for one another Confront issues upfront If there is an issue, the team needs to solve it right away Encourage the players to get to know each other The organization wants the players to hangout outside of football Build relationships away from football and build the team from the ground up with full control The organization wants its members to go out to dinner, see movies, etc. with each other and start from easy conversations to more personal conversations Actually learn something about each other The organization wants its members to take the time to know their teammates as friends and not just as teammates Have bonds with one another Win as a team
- 6. Deal and Kennedy’s “Strong Culture” Heroes Heroes are individuals who come to exemplify the organization’s values and do this through stories and demonstrations The heroes at the Detroit Lions are everywhere The team captains They lead the way to demonstrate respect, close bonds, relationships, and confronting issues Head Coach Jim Caldwell The head coach is where all of the demands come from and he is a prime example of someone who is a hero in this organization The head coach tells his team what he needs and expects and he also does those things himself Owner Martha Ford and the Top Management The owner deals with day-to-day issues regarding everything about the team and how it is doing The team president and the general manager of the team demonstrate and speak on what is needed in the Detroit Lions culture The quarterback He is the leader on the field and he is the player who sets the tone for the whole team
- 7. Deal and Kennedy’s “Strong Culture” Rites and Rituals Rites and Rituals are ceremonies through which an organization celebrates its values Being like a family and winning together causes the Detroit Lions to celebrate in various ways The team hangs up banners representing successful players and honors them with great pride The Detroit Lions recognize their past members often at games In between quarters and at half time, past players and staff members are recognized for their achievements as well as their contributions to the team The team spends a great deal talking and celebrating its history and all of their accomplishments Coaches, players, and results are celebrated and honored in multiple ways throughout the organization The Detroit Lions sponsor and volunteer many hours for the fans and community around them The team gives donations, grants, and gives jobs to its community members as well as promotes living a healthy lifestyle
- 8. Deal and Kennedy’s “Strong Culture” Cultural Network Cultural network is the communication system through which cultural values are instituted and reinforced This could exist in formal organizational channels (newspapers) as well as informal interactions with employees The Detroit Lions communicate through many channels and are reinforced positively Face-to-face communication is key Communication between players needs to occur on and off of the field in order to be successful The coach and the players need to communicate in person in order to fully understand what is expected as well as what needs to be changed/improved Mediated communication helps reaching out to fans be easier The team needs to tell its fans and community what is going on and doing that over videos/audios/etc. will help make that happen The flow of communication is important for a team to succeed Everyone needs to have a voice and be able to communicate with everyone when being on a team and no voice should trump over others
- 9. Peter and Waterman’s “Excellent Culture” In an excellent culture, aspects of the organizational culture that are prevalent in a high- performing organization need to be identified There are many themes that exist in the Detroit Lions culture that relate to an excellent culture Bias for action: the team reacts quickly to issues that need to be fixed such as the staff and losing games Close relations: all of the players on the team work well together and they all get along on deep levels Productivity through people: the team works together to accomplish their goals and they never give up no matter how bad their season is going Hands-on and value driven: the whole organization share the core values they have in place and they work hard to keep them all in tact Stick to the knitting: the entire team focuses on what they do best and they also make sure that their decisions create a positive outcome
- 10. Organizational Cultures are Complicated The organization’s culture is revealed through complicated qualities such as enhancement, conflict reduction, integration, etc. The Detroit Lions’ culture is very large and it has many parts to it They are enhancing the team’s staff as well as the environment of the players Conflicts have decreased due to the new direct and clear rules given for the team The players and coaching staff have integrated themselves together more than just on the field, they are engaging off the field as well The organization’s markers (visible manifestation of the culture), individual and group values (outward behavior) and core levels result in basic assumptions (ideas that serve and divide the organizational culture) Markers (artifacts): new coaching/staff member changes as well as the family-like atmosphere have influenced the Detroit Lions culture visibly Individual and Group Values (espoused values): all of the players love the environment and the culture that they are working in, they enjoy the atmosphere and benefit from it personally, they also strive for greatness, they all share visions and goals Core Levels: changes need to be made regarding the Detroit Lions in order for them to fully be a successful organization, action is being taken and the organization is doing all it can do to have a positive outcome Basic Assumptions (beliefs): the changes for the football team are both helping the organization and hurting it in different ways, the environment and culture are being benefited, but the games are not quite successful yet, the team also consciously/unconsciously knows that changes need to be made whether they like it or not
- 11. Organizational Cultures are Emergent The organization is socially created through interaction of organizational members and the culture is transmitted through communication An organizational culture can be described as a cultural performance through interactional, contextual, episodic, and improvisational qualities Interactional: participation is needed from all of the organization’s members Every member of the football team takes part in practices, meetings, community events, dinners, games, travels, etc. Contextual: this is embedded in organizational situations and its history The Detroit Lions look at their past culture’s history and situations, such as their 1934-1938 seasons as well as their 1990’s seasons with Barry Sanders, to see how they can become more successful on the field as well as off of the field Episodic: these are distinct events that occur in the organization’s life The football team goes season to season trying to shift and change their ways in order to improve, they have specific events to influence the team and they also have places for players to go for extra help if they need it Improvisational: there are no scripts that guide the members The entire environment at the Detroit Lions do not follow specific ways to run their culture, they shift/change in ways they personally believe will benefit the culture overall Cultures can shift over time The Detroit Lions have been trying to shift into a more positive culture in every aspect of their organization They make changes to try to enhance the culture such as new staff, new approaches, and new players
- 12. Organizational Cultures are Not Unitary An organization cannot be classified as one single culture, it has multiple subcultures within itself and they all co-exist in harmony, they can have conflict and indifferences towards each other Subcultures have their own personal contacts, demographic similarities, shared meanings, and they all have different power/interests Each department on the football team has a different job to accomplish resulting in cultural success as an organization Staff Department Offensive Staff: the offense works together to score points Defensive Staff: the defense works together to stop their opponents from scoring Special Teams Staff: these unique teams work together to punt, kick, receive, and transition the football Other Staff: these members help make games, practices, and meetings run efficiently and positively Owner Martha Ford runs the organization as a whole and she makes sure the team is doing their jobs as well as trying their best to become an overall successful football team Players They make the organization happen through their participation in practices, meetings, showings, and games
- 13. Organizational Cultures are Often Ambiguous An organization does not always have a clear picture of the organization’s culture/subcultures, the culture is rapidly changing as time continues on The Detroit Lions are always shifting things within the cultures to try to make it a better organization The football team is in a state of flux season after season New coaches, new players, new contacts, and new approaches all influence the team year by year The culture at the Detroit Lions is multifaceted and is different every single year they take the field whether the changes are big or small The football team has never had the same face twice, they always shift and twist the culture to try to make it the most successful one it can be Identities can sometimes be lost because of how much the environment changes Staff, coaches, and players become people who they are not as seasons go by, they change and shift themselves to fit the culture around them The team has moved city to city trying to be successful and they also have let money become a dominant issue in their membership careers
- 14. The Detroit Lions Football Team Overall The environment at the Detroit Lions gives off mixed signals Looking at the team’s record, they seem to be failing as a culture Last season, the team did not have a winning record and they failed to make it to the playoffs They lose games that they should win and they also throw away games that they initially had in the bag to win Looking deeper into the climate of the team, they seem to be a successful organization The players, coaches, and other staff know each other on a deep personal level and they all work together They hangout with each other off the field and do many events together such as appearances, signings, community service work, etc. They create strong relationships and bonds between each other and they stay together as a team Many members of the team say their friendships within the organization will stay with them for the rest of their lives The team is trying to turn their losing streak into a winning one by beginning to change their leadership The coach runs a tight ship, players are beginning to develop younger, and the front office is trying to draft well and choose wisely Overall, the Detroit Lions football team has a successful culture within the members, but they have an unsuccessful culture when it comes to playing in football games The team is half way to greatness, a few years of adjustments are ahead of them Changes continue to be made at the organization such as members being hired, fired, let go, or retirement They are integrating new approaches into their organization such as new practice techniques, new coaching techniques, offensive/defensive coordination, and new player positions The football team will reach overall greatness soon because they are not giving up on their culture and they are doing everything they can to be successful
- 15. How the Concepts Apply Every organization wants to build a successful culture and be successful for many years The Detroit Lions are doing their best to build a strong and excellent culture through the various changes they have been making over the past few years The environment at an organization needs to be healthy and positive The team makes sure everyone gets along, is doing their best, and is doing the specific job required of them The Detroit Lions have set values and heroes that help lead and motivate the culture Coach Jim Caldwell has been with the team for two years and he has already influenced the team positively within the organization Respect, upfront conflict resolutions, and other values have impacted the team in a beneficial way The organization is complicated and has its own way of doing things The Detroit Lions are not following anyone else’s rules or guidelines, they are shifting their culture into one that they believe will be successful The team is not a simple format of members, but they are doing their best to keep everyone working together to achieve a shared vision and common goal
- 16. Why the Concepts Apply Like any good and successful business and/or company, the Detroit Lions want to expand and grow into a positive culture The team needs to take a step back and look at what they need to do to start winning games as well as keep their family-like atmosphere present The organization knows in order to stay afloat and keep itself on a positive note, they need to start winning games and have a culture that will create wonders for everyone who is involved in it Proper staff, media, camps, programs, owners, players, sponsorships, communities, games, practices, and other events will keep the association successful and begin to run even better
- 17. Where the Concepts Apply These culture concepts are applying to the Detroit Lions team as well as many other football teams The team just needs to figure out a way to be successful on the field with the culture that they have Places such as the team locker room, inside the team, outside the team, on the field, off the field, and relationships are getting more and more opportunities to be successful and improve into a positive culture The association is also applying itself in different areas in the culture such as coaching staff, ownership, general managers, past player appearances, community programs, games, etc. to create a positive and successful organization
- 18. Questions Coaching changes were a big step to turning the Detroit Lions culture around. What is the next big change? Why aren’t the Detroit Lions winning games if they have such a positive culture within the team? The Detroit Lions make a lot of changes in their staff. Is the staff the reason for all of the games lost? What do all of the Detroit Lions fans think of the organization’s culture? Is the football team helping or hurting itself based on the current culture that it has right now?
- 19. Future Research Ideas Research on all of the different football teams’ cultures to see if there is a positive link between successful teams and their cultures Observing how the team interacts with each other and seeing whether or not the team environment is influencing the success of the organization Look at differences in the fan attendance at the Detroit Lions home games and community support that the team has had over all of the culture changes Find out what each player really thinks about their teammates and see if that is positively or negatively effecting the team View and research all of the costs and revenues for the Detroit Lions football team based on the changes that are happening in the culture/environment
- 20. Works Cited Caputo, Pat. Losing Culture Ingrained in Detroit Lions Has Never Been More Evident. Oakland Press Sports, 4 Dec. 2015. Web. 4 Feb. 2016. <http://www.theoaklandpress.com/article/OP/20151204/SPORTS/151209806>. Laurila, Michael. NFL: Why Teams Like the Detroit Lions Keep Losing. Sports Cheat Sheet, 15 Nov. 2015. Web. 4 Feb. 2016. <http://www.cheatsheet.com/sports/nfl-why-teams- like-the-detroit-lions-keep-losing.html/?a=viewall>. Miller, Katherine. Organizational Communication: Approaches and Processes. Seventh ed. Stamford: Cengage Learning, 2012. 3-4. Print. Twentyman, Tim. Arians on Lions' culture change: 'That’s all Jim'. Lions One Pride, 30 Jan. 2015. Web. 4 Feb. 2016. <http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article- 1/Arians-on-Lions-culture-change-That%E2%80%99s-all-Jim/62c29383-9518-4c91-82ad- a9095398c24d>.