#leadership #learning-culture #people-management > [!summary]+ Summary > I describe my admiration for the leadership perspective of Steve Sarkisian, for those who can create culture, and the importance of facing as Sark tells it. Additionally, I tell a bit about my experience practicing transformative leadership. # Lessons on leadership from Steve Sarkisian Some of the people I admire most are college football coaches. Coaches shape missions, organizations, and individuals. Their success or failure, is visible every Saturday on the field. For me, a key measure of a coach is their ability to build team cohesion through trust earned via openness, honesty, sincerity, and ethical behavior. True success isn’t measured in wins alone. Winning is the outcome of a culture that leadership creates. <div class="video-container"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hxdTlFs9ync?si=CSNUI1fMtjc0szSJ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen> </iframe> </div> ## "Culture is organic" As Steve Sarkisian says, "*Culture is not a sign or a t-shirt… It manifests itself in the relationships we build.*" Key elements he emphasizes include: - Commitment - Discipline - Accountability - Mental and physical toughness - Love - Vulnerability - Transparency He reminds us that who you are some of the time is who you are all of the time, and that discipline on the field requires discipline off the field. Every action adds up to the whole of who you are. As Sarkisian puts it, "**Culture beats talent.**" ### Creating culture I admire leaders who can create, shape, and sustain a culture. Over my career, I’ve learned the importance of shared values. I’ve seen teams focused on joint service, individual success, or maintaining the status quo. And I’ve lived and noticed how culture differs between teams, units, departments, and whole organizations. The cultures I find most admirable are those that emphasize **taking action to care for each other**, **giving empathy for where people come from**, and **bringing everyone together to achieve shared success**. ### Facing adversity Steve Sarkisian often emphasize that everyone will face adversity at some point. **What matters most is not the adversity itself, but how you respond** — 90% of the outcome is determined by your reaction, and only 10% by the event. I love this perspective. Throughout my personal and professional life, I’ve faced all sorts of challenges, and I firmly believe that taking proactive and thoughtful action is the way to navigate them. ## Speaking for myself Shaping or changing culture is challenging. I served in a role at GWU for five years in which I was told to be a transformative leader. During the first year, I focused on understanding the existing culture. Over the next two years, I worked on creating new systems and initiatives, communicating messages from my mixed background, providing nudges and encouragement, and soliciting feedback. Some changes stuck and others did not. And in retrospect, there are things I could have done differently. A few months before leaving GWU, I interviewed an external candidate for a management role. Over lunch she said, "*I believe no director comes into a role with all the skills necessary. There is going to be some learning.*" The honesty and humility in that statement resonated with me and continues to influence my leadership reflections. Shortly before I left, a colleague from a different team — someone who had observed my leadership but was not my direct report — told me, "*I want you to know that I've always admired how you supported your team. I've looked for that kind of leadership. And you know, I'm still looking.*" It was an extremely validating moment and reinforced the importance of building a culture through support, transparency, and trust.