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The cover of The Culture Code

The Culture Code

Daniel Coyle, 2018

See how groups build safety, share vulnerability, and make priorities usable through repeated interactions, with examples from sports, aviation, restaurants, and creative teams.

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4 parts, about 16 minutes to read.

Why read it

  • Learn the three skills found in successful groups: building safety, sharing vulnerability and establishing purpose, with cases from sports, work and the military
  • See how belonging cues, small repeated signals such as attention, questions and humor, tell people it is safe to join in
  • Use the vulnerability loop, where one person admits a limit and another answers with openness, plus structured reviews after an event

Who it is for

  • Team leaders who want people to speak up and share ideas
  • Coaches and captains building trust inside a sports team
  • Founders growing an organization and trying to keep priorities clear

What the summary covers

  1. What Groups Do Together1 min
  2. Skill One: Build Safety5 min
  3. Skill Two: Share Vulnerability4 min
  4. Skill Three: Establish Purpose6 min

Recommended by

  • Adam GrantNew York Times bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take
    Daniel Coyle has produced a truly brilliant, mesmerizing read that demystifies the magic of great groups. It blows all other books on culture right out of the water. Read it immediately.
  • Charles DuhiggNew York Times bestselling author of The Power of Habit
    If you want to understand how successful groups work—the signals they transmit, the language they speak, the cues that foster creativity—you won’t find a more essential guide than The Culture Code. This book is a marvel of insight and practicality.
  • Laszlo BockCEO of Humu, former SVP of People Operations at Google
    The Culture Code is a step-by-step guidebook to building teams that are not just more effective but happier. Whether you lead a team or are a team member, this book is a must-read.
  • Rich DivineyRetired Navy SEAL officer, Barry Wehmiller Leadership Institute
    Daniel Coyle has a gift for demystifying elite performance and breaking it down into empirical facts. This is indispensable for anyone looking to lead, build, or find an elite culture.
  • Seth GodinAuthor of Linchpin
    There are profound ideas on every single page, stories that will change the way you work, the way you lead, and the impact you have on the world. Highly recommended, an urgent read.

About the author

  • Daniel CoyleAuthor of books on leadership and performance, including The Talent Code and The Culture Code
    • Born in St. Louis, Missouri, and raised in Anchorage, Alaska
    • Former junior racquetball state champion
    • Consultant with the Cleveland Guardians since 2013 and advisor to military special forces, professional sports teams and schools
    • With Tyler Hamilton won the William Hill Book of the Year award for The Secret Race (a different book from this one)
    • Lives in Cleveland, Ohio during the school year and in Homer, Alaska, during the summer

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