A thin line between winning and losing

There is a very thin line between winning and losing. Legia Warsaw showed it well in the first half of 2023: of 18 games from January to June, as many as 12 (66%) were decided by one goal or less.

Games like that are decided by details and the last minutes. Clubs spend huge money on small elements that are supposed to give them an edge. At the same time they often neglect what has the biggest impact on long-term success - organisational culture.

Why culture, not just tactics

Few coaches come to courses on organisational culture, while tactics courses are full. I understand that, but tactics and the game plan change every week: because of the opponent, injuries and conditions. Culture stays, and it is what helps you get through difficult moments.

Culture shapes attitudes, attitudes shape behaviours, and behaviours shape habits. When our identity and values are clearly defined, it is easier to make good decisions, also under pressure.

What organisational culture is

It is the shared values, beliefs, goals and habits that make up an organisation's identity and the way it works. You start building it with questions: who are we, what matters to us, how do we want to be remembered and where are we going.

Culture has to work both ways - top-down, so that people in the highest positions understand it, and bottom-up, so that every employee accepts it. That is why you work on it with everyone, not just announce it in a presentation.

How we started in the analysis department

In the 2023/24 season, in the Training Analysis Department of the Legia Academy, we started exactly by agreeing on shared values. I was tempted to go straight to specifics like tactics, but I chose a foundation that would let the department work well for a long time - also in difficult moments.

The Legia Academy values were then:

• honesty,
• transparency,
• loyalty.

In the analysis department we agreed on our own:

• we are a department with values,
• we are a department that adds value,
• we use our potential,
• we work at 100%.

This post was inspired by the book "You Win in the Locker Room First" by Jon Gordon and Mike Smith - its first chapter is about organisational culture.

🎯 Tactics change every game. Culture stays for the whole season.