Culture Is the Way by Matt Mayberry Summary

Culture Is the Way outlines strategies for building high-performance workplace cultures through intentional leadership and employee engagement. Matt Mayberry combines insights from his NFL career and corporate consulting to show how aligning core values, leadership behaviors, and team dynamics drives organizational success. The book provides a five-step framework for cultural transformation, emphasizing accountability, purpose-driven practices, and measurable progress.

This book is essential for executives, managers, HR leaders, and entrepreneurs seeking to improve team performance and workplace morale. It’s particularly valuable for leaders navigating mergers, remote work challenges, or organizational restructuring. Mayberry’s actionable advice also resonates with coaches and sports professionals applying athletic teamwork principles to business.

Yes—it’s a Wall Street Journal bestseller praised by McKinsey & Company and Malcolm Gladwell’s Next Big Idea Club. The book offers practical tools like cultural audits, leadership pledges, and case studies from Fortune 500 companies. Its sports-to-business analogies make complex concepts accessible, while metrics-driven strategies ensure tangible results.

Mayberry’s framework includes:

• Assessing current culture through employee surveys and leadership audits.
• Defining cultural purpose via values alignment workshops.
• Designing behavioral norms that reflect organizational goals.
• Coaching leaders to model desired behaviors.
• Measuring progress using KPIs like retention and innovation rates.

Drawing from his time with the Chicago Bears, Mayberry likens corporate culture to championship teams—emphasizing trust, accountability, and adaptive leadership. He shares locker-room lessons on turning setbacks into growth opportunities, illustrating how sports-driven discipline can resolve workplace conflicts and boost productivity.

Leaders must act as “Chief Culture Drivers,” consistently modeling values like transparency and resilience. Mayberry advocates replacing traditional management with coaching-focused leadership, citing examples like WD-40 Company’s “managers as coaches” policy. He also introduces a Culture Driver Pledge to reinforce daily commitment to cultural goals.

Case studies feature JP Morgan Chase, the FBI, and Allstate Insurance, highlighting how they:

• Revamped onboarding to reflect cultural values.
• Used metrics like “impactful small wins” to track progress.
• Addressed toxic behaviors through peer accountability systems.

Unlike theoretical approaches, Mayberry combines sports metaphors with tactical playbooks—similar to Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team but with a stronger focus on measurable outcomes. It’s frequently compared to Atomic Habits for its actionable framework but targets team dynamics over individual habits.

Some reviewers note the strategies require significant leadership buy-in, which may challenge decentralized organizations. Others suggest the sports analogies oversimplify complex workplace dynamics. However, the book’s structured approach offsets these concerns with adaptable tools.

• “Culture is the ultimate competitive advantage.”
• “Lead with your calendar—what you prioritize signals what you value.”
• “Great cultures don’t happen by accident; they’re built by design.”

Mayberry recommends quarterly surveys assessing:

• Alignment between stated values and daily practices.
• Employee perceptions of leadership authenticity.
• Cross-departmental collaboration rates.

Tools like S. Chris Edmonds’ Culture Engine Index help quantify improvements.

With hybrid work and AI reshaping teams, the book’s emphasis on adaptive leadership and purposeful connectivity addresses modern challenges. Its strategies for resolving remote-work disengagement and fostering inclusivity make it a timely resource for post-pandemic organizations.

• Pages: 200
• Chapters: 10
• Release Date: 2021 (updated editions reflect 2023 case studies)
• Publisher: Matt Mayberry Enterprises