🇬🇧 Winning, Losing, and Growing – How to Build a Healthy Performance Culture

00:00:04: The sense of belonging to a successful team is an enormous force.

00:00:09: Want to win ambitiously and together, second be able to lose honestly and responsibly.

00:00:17: And three keep growing with curiosity and consistency.

00:00:26: Hello and warm welcome today's Lightwolf Leadership Podcast.

00:00:31: I'm Stefan your podcast host in this podcast for leading with impact.

00:00:37: Today It's all about a culture question.

00:00:41: A culture question that we hear often when we work with clients, no matter whether we support them on strategy implementation or one of the most frequent issues that leaders in companies face—one thing is strategy theory and on the flip charts and wonderful PowerPoint presentations–and doesn't work in the first place or gets executed, but doesn't deliver the results.

00:01:12: The company needs to

00:01:14: grow.".

00:01:15: Or when we work with teams who want to become real teams – or even high-performance teams?

00:01:22: We've done this many times and are right now doing it for four different clients….

00:01:26: …and its a fascinating journey that we're invited to support!

00:01:31: Or we work on real sustained culture – Culture Evolution specifically leadership culture evolution.

00:01:40: And as a fascinating journey that we are allowed right now to have with a series of clients, sometimes over many years and here were the challenges that we observe across the patch.

00:01:52: everyone wants to win but how do you in your team deal?

00:01:56: With losing?

00:01:58: because every one who has ever had real sustained when then?

00:02:05: what looks like a straight, linear line of success forever in reality is not.

00:02:11: It's like ball-of-wool with ups and downs and forwards and backs and setbacks.

00:02:18: that's the reality about success.

00:02:21: it's a series of setbacks and failures that precedes an ultimate success.

00:02:27: so how do you deal with when teams lose?

00:02:30: Performance pressure is rising Golds get more and more ambitious, competition gets more intense.

00:02:37: Change has always been constant but gets ever faster.

00:02:41: And in this context that we observe We sometimes face one of two different extremes One winning at all cost and Two harmony over performance.

00:02:54: Winning it all costs looks like pressure.

00:02:58: Even hundred percent is not good enough.

00:03:02: fear of making mistakes all around, pressure blame burnouts short-term result focus.

00:03:12: we need to win today tomorrow and this quarter.

00:03:15: And no view at all on the longer term!

00:03:19: On the other hand harmony over performance avoiding conflict preferring artificial harmony glossing over poor results for days, weeks months maybe even years.

00:03:36: too little accountability Whenever there is something that goes right.

00:03:39: There are many fathers But when things go wrong well it's always the others to blame Right?

00:03:47: That's the other extreme and both of those extremes yeah winning at all costs And harmony over performance.

00:03:54: Both stand in the way Of sustainable high-performance But many companies want it or they want both.

00:04:03: They want winning and harmony, short-term results and sustainable leadership excellence.

00:04:12: as one CEO in the food industry who had a long chat with last week at the beginning of major transformation project As he put it quote Stefan actually you and your team are right.

00:04:29: we should measure and reward both the what, and how.

00:04:33: But at the end of today when once a year we decide on performance and reward performance then one hundred out of one-hundred points go into this years.

00:04:49: business results We don't do it right yet Unquote.

00:04:55: So our task now soon will start working together helping that company to retain the people-centric care culture and you can retain it while at the same time increasing.

00:05:12: The performance component of the definition of success, I think the key question for leaders like you is how do you do that?

00:05:23: How did he build a culture where people are determined and learn from both success and failure.

00:05:34: Once you correct that code, very likely your company will be on their way up!

00:05:41: Now in preparation of today's podcast I distilled three key thoughts & experiences which i'd like to share with you today – maybe there is one of them who inspires or informs us as a successful leader?

00:05:56: Maybe it helps become the leader we want to be.

00:06:03: Tip number one.

00:06:05: Wanting to win, celebrating victories together.

00:06:10: Desire To Win Celebrating victories Together.

00:06:15: I'll start this section with a quote from my friend The world of business, the corporate world could be small companies mid-sized companies and the World Of Sports high performing professional sports.

00:06:45: Learnings can travel between these two worlds in both directions.

00:06:50: for that reason I have always been fascinated.

00:06:52: i've never been a professional sportsman myself.

00:06:55: at the age of fourteen i was lucky enough to be surrounded To Be part of A team That Was Really Extremely Successful And some of these players, I was surrounded by later on made it to being professional football players in the first division in Germany.

00:07:15: One of them even played in a national team.

00:07:19: so i was surrounded but have never been a professional myself.

00:07:24: But I've always been fascinated particularly by professional sports and teamsports.

00:07:31: Luck had it that years ago I crossed paths with a man who are now called a friend.

00:07:39: A true high performing leader, Who has many reasons to be proud of the teams he was part off in the culture?

00:07:47: He was able to contribute and in fact create around him.

00:07:51: This gentleman's name is Lars, Lars Weibel And if you want listen an entire podcast interview it's here in the Lightwolf podcast as well.

00:08:01: It is all about focusing on an ice hockey goalie, because Lars Weibel has been a professional ice hockey player for twenty-one years in Switzerland and represented Switzerland at Olympic Games.

00:08:14: Over the last seven years he was a member of the senior leadership of the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation.

00:08:21: He was director of sports at Swiss Icehockey.

00:08:24: And we had a particular moment that I would like to highlight now in this first block on wanting to win.

00:08:32: It's been amazing what the Swiss national ice hockey team has been able to achieve over the last seven years, particularly now and this year twenty-twenty six when the World Championship were at home in Switzerland.

00:08:47: The team performed an impressive consistency throughout the entire group phase The knockout phase until the semi-final, they won each and every game.

00:09:01: In between I often texted Lars which had it back & forth... ...and he was just so amazing for me to see the consistency of playing for each other remaining focused, remaining calm under pressure And then beat one after another reaching this semifinal again Third time in a row.

00:09:24: And guess what?

00:09:26: They play Norway and they win six-nil.

00:09:30: Six nil!

00:09:32: The night before we texted, I asked how are

00:09:35: you?".

00:09:36: He said,"We're

00:09:36: great.".

00:09:38: How is the confidence

00:09:39: level?".

00:09:40: His response was, We don't just believe...we

00:09:46: know.".

00:09:49: You might find it a bit arrogant but i don't because i interpret as beyond belief.

00:09:58: We are so confident that it's more than just believing in success and I think kind of attitude, that spirit represents wanting to win.

00:10:08: No wonder at night they won the semi-final again In an impressive way And reached the final of world championship in ice hockey The third time in a row.

00:10:20: A remarkable success!

00:10:25: closer and closer to triumph each single final.

00:10:30: So really, chapeau!

00:10:31: And hats off to Swiss Ice hockey for the success you guys have created over the last seven years.

00:10:39: Zooming out again still in the same point people want to belong...to a successful team.

00:10:48: The sense of belonging to a successful Team is an enormous force.

00:10:54: I have two young men, two boys.

00:10:58: To sons.

00:11:00: the younger one has been a rugby player for ten years from eight to eighteen.

00:11:06: I've watched many games over the years and i have always enjoyed when the boys enjoy playing four each other not just with eachother And When The Boys Enjoyed Turning Games Around beating stronger oppositions by playing for each other.

00:11:31: I've always been delighted seeing my son play rugby, so the sense of belonging is a key source energy and motivation that you are able to unleash in your team or nurture even more.

00:11:49: Another tool at your disposal is your goals.

00:11:53: You shouldn't set goals always one hundred percent achievable.

00:11:59: It's boring, it's not motivating...it is not ambitious!

00:12:04: If you want to create a sense of winning then you need ambitious goals Not naive goals.

00:12:11: they need to be achievable but there should be ambitious at the same time.

00:12:15: Ambitious and clear.

00:12:17: Define exactly what winning looks like Ideally visualize What winning looks Like And Then celebrate success even small ones, celebrate them.

00:12:30: And celebrate not only results but also development teamwork and exceptional contributions from individuals or groups in the team because in a long term it's this development is these extraordinary contributions that will make your team grow step by step!

00:12:51: By then you'll get more successful.

00:12:56: The leadership question resulting from this, I think is how will you know that YOU and your team won together?

00:13:07: How would you know as you won together.

00:13:10: That illustrates point number one wanting to win celebrating victories together.

00:13:17: Point two be able to lose make setbacks discussable.

00:13:25: It's a matter of fact.

00:13:27: Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn.

00:13:32: no individual, no team or company on this planet has ever been only successful forever.

00:13:40: Success contains setbacks.

00:13:43: it is even made of setbacks in failures.

00:13:46: so make it safe to discuss them without diluting accountability but also without making anyone feel punished for a loss.

00:13:59: Because setbacks are part of every genuine performance culture, what matters is not to avoid losses... ...but how you respond to them!

00:14:11: No blame?

00:14:12: NO excuses?

00:14:14: NO

00:14:14: sugarcoating?!

00:14:16: And I would recommend you clearly distinguish between the good progress and the good process on one hand side with outcomes, maybe poor outcomes and avoidable mistakes.

00:14:31: And really analyze honestly because I've seen moments when it all lines up either a team really develops well has the right mindset from The Get Go shows the desire to win in every single second grows wins tackles plays for each other scores and scores again, and wins.

00:14:56: It's like a straight line upwards.

00:14:59: it can also happen.

00:15:00: there is a straightline downwards.

00:15:01: if you have a bad day things go wrong Murphy's law.

00:15:05: And sometimes you have blends strange blends.

00:15:10: You have the game that you win but you see that The process wasn't followed consistently.

00:15:16: That was more luck than performance.

00:15:19: Maybe your weaker opposition or Bad luck on the other side.

00:15:24: you may have won, and still performed below your expectations.

00:15:28: And by Cversa!

00:15:30: You might've lost the game... ...and maybe at full potential.

00:15:38: Just a tiny bit less than would be necessary to win the competition….

00:15:43: …you can still have had great performance.

00:15:47: In this moment I'd like share something about now-German football national coach Jürgen Klopp, who is said to have had the following moment with his at-the-time club Liverpool FC right after they had lost their first Champions League final.

00:16:10: Going back home to the hotel of course all hanging faces down and everyone wanting to go to bed at whatever midnight or twelve thirty.

00:16:21: And anecdotally Jürgen Klopp looks around and says, hey guys.

00:16:28: What do you look like?

00:16:30: And then I think Henderson at the time captain of the club says well coach we just lost a Champions League final.

00:16:39: and then anecdotally Jürg Klopp responds but so what?

00:16:44: there are at least two good reasons to be proud in celebrating Guys get up on your rooms drop your bags back down here in five minutes.

00:16:53: So they all come back.

00:16:55: and then anecdotally I haven't been there but i can well imagine it happens at least similar to this.

00:17:03: apparently he told his team hey guys what are you looking like?

00:17:09: yes we may have lost the final, But You Have At Least Two Reasons To Be Incredibly Proud Of Yourselves.

00:17:16: Do You Know How Many Teams In The World Would Have Licked Their Fingers?

00:17:21: To be Here in Our Place Tonight And Just Play One Champions League final in their entire life, thousands and thousands of teams.

00:17:30: That's reason number one!

00:17:32: And reason number two – we will be back at the Champions League Final.

00:17:38: now let's celebrate.

00:17:40: and again anecdotally it seems like they had a long night not sure that everyone really went to bed before then joining the plane back home next morning No matter whether you are a supporter of the club or a supporter their opposition, whoever you support.

00:17:58: One year later they were in the final again and won!

00:18:03: So there is something to learning, respecting accepting loss... ...and still being proud for performance attitude development.

00:18:19: I love this story however complete or accurate, or inaccurate it may be.

00:18:24: I love that and out myself i am a big fan of Jung Klopp.

00:18:29: He has two outstanding skills enormous willpower to get the right football being played And then she is endless human humility.

00:18:40: To support his players...to care for their players..to care about humans.

00:18:47: Impressive leader I stopped my outing as Jürgen Klopp's fan at this point, but let me get back to that.

00:18:57: It is important how you make it safe to discuss setbacks without sugarcoating anything and also without diluting accountability for mistakes.

00:19:10: How do you respond?

00:19:12: No blaming!

00:19:13: It helps no one...it doesn't help anyone if we talk about who's faulted is and who is to blame.

00:19:19: Nonsense!

00:19:21: No one intends make mistakes, no blames or excuses –no sugarcoating at the same time– and distinguishing between good process AND quality of an outcome.

00:19:33: The best teams systematically analyze defeats instead looking for someone to blame.

00:19:41: They look at performance not people.

00:19:44: That something that good leaders can learn from this.

00:19:47: And when I look back, i was blessed!

00:19:48: I had sixteen bosses in my corporate career and many of them were really strong and some are outstanding leaders.

00:19:56: to women and two men where i'm really grateful that they are part of my life... ...and that i have been their subordinate.. ..i learned so much from him.

00:20:05: So distinguish between outcome & development performance & results and distinguish between people & results & people & performance.

00:20:16: I think the leadership question for you in your business leadership role maybe, what was within your control?

00:20:25: What wasn't and what will do differently next time.

00:20:31: That might be a question resulting from this block number two being able to lose making setbacks discussable.

00:20:40: And tip number three keep growing.

00:20:45: turn every Outcome into better behavior.

00:20:49: Yeah, turn every outcome into a better behavior.

00:20:53: It's not winning or losing that makes you better But what do learn and what?

00:20:58: You change in your behavior as a result After important wins And after important losses.

00:21:06: it may be even regularly after every single game.

00:21:11: Fifteen minutes of honest team reflection.

00:21:15: What did we want to achieve?

00:21:18: Did we achieve?

00:21:20: What worked, why what didn't work.

00:21:25: Why not and what will do differently as a result?

00:21:30: starting tomorrow morning.

00:21:32: Agree on one specific behavior maybe one specific attitude you want to take because attitude isn't happening to us.

00:21:40: it doesn't fall down from heaven.

00:21:43: Attitude is what we choose every morning when you get our first foot out of the bed.

00:21:47: What attitude do I adopt today to go through this day?

00:21:51: And, what attitude and behavior will it change as a result... ...of my

00:21:57: learning?".

00:21:58: In a nutshell… A healthy performance culture means high expectations for results deep respect for people AND an uncompromising commitment to learning.

00:22:13: And I think there are three things you should role model as a leader when you want to role model the right culture in terms of your definition, of winning losing and growing.

00:22:27: first Want to win ambitiously?

00:22:32: together.

00:22:33: second be able to lose honestly and responsibly.

00:22:41: Keep growing with curiosity and consistency.

00:22:46: Let me release you for the day into your week, with a little challenge if you like.

00:22:52: Discuss a recent success or discuss a recent setback with your team.

00:22:58: No judging no blaming but understanding And agree together.

00:23:05: one specific improvement You want to take If you are looking for more effective leadership tools to drive performance and culture in your own team, then please explore Lightwolf Leadership Academy.

00:23:22: It contains my teams' best knowledge from a collective of more than two hundred years of experience.

00:23:31: Its six different courses all the way from leading employees.

00:23:38: It contains those things, it contains eighty percent of anything you need to master as a leader.

00:23:45: Videos, podcasts tools learning controls and six times live coaching with me.

00:23:50: so if your interested enter the show notes bookie academy and join lightwolf Academy looking forward to learning together with you.

00:23:58: And If you enjoyed this episode I would also welcome and appreciate Your five star rating because it helps us be visible and further widen the group that wants to learn leadership together.

00:24:13: In a nutshell, and too close for today... The best leaders don't create a culture where everyone always wins!

00:24:20: They created a culture when every one WANTS TO WIN, CAN HANDLE LOSING AND GETS BETTER EVERY DAY.

00:24:30: Thanks for listening.

00:24:31: Have a great day And see you soon.