Team Culture and Corporate Success: Why Jim Harbaugh's Wild Leadership Style Is Making CEOs Nervous
Coach Jim Harbough - The Ultimate Corporate Wellness Culture Teacher
While watching professional football over the weekend, something caught my attention. The announcer discussed Coach Jim Harbaugh's success with the Los Angeles Chargers.
One announcer asked, "What do you think contributes to Jim Harbaugh's success?" The other replied, "It's his culture-building talent."
This piqued my interest since I'm passionate about building healthy culture AND sports psychology. The topic inspired me to dig deeper, leading to this blog post—and soon, I'll be sharing more insights through a YouTube video and a live session in my Facebook group.
When it comes to transforming underperforming teams into champions, few names shine brighter than Jim Harbaugh.
Known for his quirky, confrontational, and intensely competitive coaching style, Harbaugh has established a reputation as a master of building culture.
Whether leading the San Francisco 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII (that is Super Bowl 47 in 2013 for those of you who do not understand roman numerals) or guiding the University of Michigan to a national championship in 2023, Harbaugh’s ability to instill a winning culture has left a lasting impact wherever he’s coached.
Corporate leaders can draw valuable lessons from Harbaugh’s methods to foster healthy workplace cultures that boost engagement, accountability, and success. Let’s break down Harbaugh’s coaching strategy and explore how these principles can transform your organization.
Continue reading below…..
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Accountability - the backbone of success
Accountability: The Backbone of Success
One of Harbaugh’s defining traits is his unwavering commitment to accountability. In his world, every player is responsible for their performance, regardless of their experience, position, or salary. This expectation fosters a sense of ownership and encourages continuous improvement.
If you know anything about making a professional athlete accountable this is no easy task. In fact, professional athletes are known for their diva like attitude.
But Harbaugh held every team member accountable regardless of their experience, position, or salary!
How this applies to corporate culture:
Set clear expectations:
Employees thrive when they understand their roles and responsibilities. Establish measurable goals and communicate them effectively. Learn more about communication in the workplace.
Foster a feedback loop:
Create an environment where constructive feedback is encouraged and acted upon. Leaders should model this behavior by welcoming feedback from their teams. Learn how assessments can be your most valuable feedback!
Reward accountability:
Celebrate team members who own their successes and failures. This reinforces the importance of accountability as a core organizational value. Learn more about rewards and recognition in the workplace.
Pro tip: Build a culture of accountability by using performance metrics and regular check-ins to evaluate progress. Encourage team members to identify solutions when things go off track, rather than assigning blame.
Team Unity
Team Unity: Together Everyone Achieves More
Harbaugh’s teams are built on the principle of unity. He emphasizes shared experiences, such as team workouts and bonding activities, to strengthen relationships and create a cohesive group. This sense of camaraderie ensures that players are willing to fight for each other on the field.
How this applies to corporate culture:
Promote collaboration:
Break down silos by encouraging cross-departmental teamwork. Shared projects help employees see the bigger picture and build relationships outside their immediate teams.
Celebrate wins together:
Recognize and reward the team’s collective achievements, not just individual contributions.
Host team-building activities:
From volunteer initiatives to casual lunch-and-learns, shared experiences foster a sense of belonging and shared purpose.
Fun idea: Organize an annual “Corporate Olympics” with fun challenges to build camaraderie and healthy competition among employees.
The Winning Edge
Establishing a Hard-Nosed Culture: The Winning Edge
Harbaugh believes every successful team needs a tough, resilient culture. His no-nonsense approach demands discipline and mental toughness, which prepares players to handle adversity with grace.
How this applies to corporate culture:
Embrace resilience:
Encourage employees to view challenges as opportunities to grow rather than obstacles. Offer training on stress management and adaptability.
Set high standards:
Push your team to strive for excellence while providing the support they need to succeed.
Lead by example:
Demonstrate grit and determination in your leadership style. Employees are more likely to emulate behaviors they see modeled by their leaders.
Key takeaway: Tough doesn’t mean ruthless. Balance high expectations with empathy and support to create a healthy, high-performing workplace.
Faith and Values - a Guiding Light
Faith and Values: A Guiding Light
Harbaugh’s coaching isn’t just about X’s and O’s—it’s deeply rooted in faith and values. His influence extends beyond the field, shaping players’ character and instilling a sense of purpose.
For example, in 2023, 70 of his championship team players were baptized—a testament to his ability to inspire personal growth alongside professional success.
How this applies to corporate culture:
Define your core values:
A strong corporate culture is grounded in clearly articulated values that align with your mission. And your core values cannot be just words on wall.
**Coming soon: an article all about the words that were not acted upon as “core values”: Loyalty, Integrity, Fun, Energy - were just words on a wall.
Inspire purpose:
Help employees connect their work to a greater purpose, whether it’s serving customers, supporting the community, or advancing innovation.
Respect diversity:
While Harbaugh’s teams may share specific faith-based practices, your organization can create an inclusive environment by celebrating diverse beliefs and perspectives.
Actionable step: Include values-based discussions in team meetings and share stories of how your organization is making a difference.
Culture that is a Lasting Legacy
Building Culture: A Lasting Legacy
Harbaugh’s influence remains embedded in every program he’s touched, from the University of Michigan to the Los Angeles Chargers, and even the San Fransico 49ers.
His ability to cultivate a strong, consistent culture ensures that his teams continue to thrive long after he’s moved on.
How this applies to corporate culture:
Be intentional:
Culture doesn’t happen by accident. It requires deliberate effort and consistent reinforcement. Just having a gym on-site, or a chapel with a bible does not count as deliverate effort you must be intentional for your culuture and legacy sake!
Invest in leadership:
Equip managers with the tools and training to embody and promote the company’s culture. Leaders need to embody the culture’s health and wellbeing. If they do not you can count on success not being on your side. Learn more about leadership and corporate wellness here!
Document and share:
Codify your culture in a handbook or manifesto that captures your organization’s values, traditions, and behaviors. This can be a fun action for HR and even lighten the load of a policy and procedure driven company handbook!
Pro tip: Conduct regular “culture audits” to ensure your workplace environment aligns with your stated values and goals. Assess your team at least once a quarter! Learn more about assessments here!
Turn Struggles into Wins
Turning Struggles into Wins
Harbaugh has a proven track record of transforming struggling teams into contenders. His confrontational and competitive coaching style drives players to dig deep and achieve their potential.
This same mindset can be applied to companies looking to overcome challenges and foster a winning culture.
How this applies to corporate culture:
Confront issues head-on:
Don’t shy away from tough conversations or decisions. Addressing problems directly shows employees that leadership is committed to finding solutions. Learn more about communication in the workplace here!
Celebrate competitiveness:
Encourage healthy competition through incentives and recognition programs that motivate employees to go the extra mile. Learn more about rewards and recognition in the workplace here!
Adapt and innovate:
Just as Harbaugh adjusts his game plans to suit his team’s strengths, be willing to pivot your strategies to meet evolving business needs. A corporate wellness consultant’s job is to help your team adapt and provide innovative solutions at every corner.
Leadership tip: Frame challenges as opportunities for innovation. This mindset empowers employees to think creatively and embrace change.
The Power of Authenticity
Quirky Leadership: The Power of Authenticity
Harbaugh’s unique personality—part quirky, part intense—makes him a standout leader. His authenticity fosters trust and loyalty among his players, proving that being yourself is a powerful leadership tool. I think I love this the most about a standout leader!
How this applies to corporate culture:
Be yourself:
Authentic leaders inspire trust and engagement. Share your passions, admit mistakes, and connect with employees on a human level.
Embrace quirks:
Celebrate individuality within your team. Encourage employees to bring their whole selves to work.
Lead with passion:
Your enthusiasm and commitment will be contagious, inspiring your team to bring their best selves to work every day.
Quick insight: Your quirks are your superpower—use them to connect and inspire!
Locker room to board room
From the Locker Room to the Boardroom
Jim Harbaugh’s success as a coach is no accident. His strategies for building accountability, unity, resilience, values, and authenticity are as effective in the corporate world as they are on the field. By adopting these principles, corporate leaders can create a thriving workplace culture where employees feel supported, motivated, and empowered to succeed.
So, the next time your team faces a challenge, channel your inner Harbaugh. Tackle issues with determination, foster unity, and build a culture that lasts. Who knows? You might just lead your team to their own version of a championship.
Takeaways for Corporate Leaders
Accountability matters: Hold everyone responsible for their actions.
Teamwork wins: Foster unity and collaboration.
Stay resilient: Encourage grit and adaptability.
Lead with values: Inspire purpose and character development.
Be authentic: Show up as your true self and embrace others' uniqueness.
Transform your corporate culture today—Harbaugh style!
#Leadership #CorporateCulture #JimHarbaugh #WorkplaceWellness #Accountability #TeamUnity #Resilience #Authenticity #WinningCulture #EmployeeEngagement
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About the Author: Kathie Owen
Kathie Owen is a corporate wellness consultant, coach, and seasoned expert in fostering workplace engagement and well-being. With a degree in Psychology from the University of Houston and a lifelong passion for sports psychology, Kathie combines insights from the athletic world to create high-impact corporate wellness programs.
Kathie Owen, Corporate Wellness Coach and Consultant
Drawing inspiration from the strategies of top coaches like Jim Harbaugh, Kathie emphasizes the importance of teamwork, accountability, and resilience in building thriving workplace cultures. Her holistic approach integrates mental and physical wellness to combat burnout and boost employee engagement, helping organizations achieve their goals while supporting their teams.
When she’s not designing wellness solutions for companies, Kathie enjoys sharing motivational insights and strategies through her blog, workshops, and coaching sessions, inspiring others to bring out the best in their teams and themselves. Learn more about her story here: www.kathieowen.com/our-story
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Transcript:
So I have to tell you. Over the weekend. I was watching professional football. And you know me, I love me some sports psychology. And the announcer was talking about Jim Harbaugh. He is the coach of the. I don't want to say San Diego chargers, but now they're the Los Angeles chargers. Yeah. Anyways, I was listening to them talk about how he transforms teams and how he's brought the chargers from where they were in a bad place to a really good place they're doing really well. And they said something that totally captured by attention. I mean, it was just like, Oh, my God. I got to listen to this. And they said the reason that he transforms teams, the way he does, has to do with the way he builds culture, the team culture specifically. This. I geek out on this, because this is corporate wellness to a T and this is how you build healthy teams. And today we're going to talk about his strategies. What this coach does and how he's transformed teams over the years. To make them championship teams. And that's what we want. We want a team that works together very cohesively. And if you think about it in professional football, this can be a challenge because you have so many diva athletes, especially on the professional level where they're like, I don't have to do this. And Jim Harbaugh doesn't tolerate that diva stuff. And actually he builds it in a healthy way. Let's talk about it. You're listening to Kathie's coaching podcast. I'm your host, Kathie Owen. So Jim Harbaugh. Has transformed teams that were struggling. And he took him to a place of championship, San Francisco 49ers for a championship. And 2023, he took the university of Michigan to the championship. And that's what he's most famous for as of recently, however, he's also transformed the chargers into a team that is highly. Highly. Top-notch. And these coaching strategies. Can really relate to high performing teams in the corporate world. And that's what I really want to talk about because first of all, I geek out about sports psychology. And second of all, I geek out about healthy, happy teams and a great workplace culture. And we can all learn from this. Even if you're an individual who follows me for my coaching, we can all learn from this. First step accountability. Jim Harbaugh holds every player accountable. Regardless of his status, regardless of his tenure. Regardless of his performance. He treats the veteran the same as the rookie. This is a profound thing to think about because it does transform your workplace culture. And here's how you can apply this today. Number one set clear expectations for your entire team. From the rookie to the veteran. In the workplace. Accountability builds trust number one. And it also drives success of your team. Let me explain number one, you want to set clear expectations. Number two, you want to create a feedback loop. Where employees feel safe to express what they're feeling. This is done through assessments. Yes. That is one of the first things I do whenever I get inside a corporate culture, because you want to know what's going on inside there. You want to create that feedback loop. So the feedback loop builds trust because you're listening to your employees and you're also understanding what they want and what they need. And number three, when you have accountability, you celebrate those who take ownership of their successes. And their failures. This is important. Because when you celebrate their successes and you also celebrate their admission of failures. You're building trust. It helps the team come together and it also helps build the team as better. Think about it in football. You're going to have somebody who messes up. We all make mistakes. We're human. Even professional athletes are human. They mess up. He missed the field goal, an important field goal. But we still celebrate the fact that, Hey, I missed the field goal, but I'm going to work on practice and get better or make it better next time. But that is part of building a healthy team is celebrating those who take ownership of their wins. And their struggles. So you want to think of accountability as the foundation of what's going on inside your company. Accountability. Is like. The flour in the cake mix that has all different kinds of ingredients to make a wonderful cake. Now let's talk about team unity. Harbough talks about team workouts. He doesn't let the vetern go workout on his own in his own space. He lets the whole team workout together. What does this do? This builds team comradery. But it also helps your team develop skills that the veteran can teach the rookie. And the rookie can teach the veteran and it keeps everybody on the same page. In the corporate world, this might look like collaborative projects or team building experiences. That's what that could look like. Because a team building experience will take the veteran and the rookie and help them see how this can compliment this. And this can compliment this and this can build the team. On a same page level, building a healthy culture. Remember the best teams don't just work together they care about each other. And when employees feel connected, they're more likely to be engaged. And bring their best selves to work. So another thing that Jim Harbaugh is known for is building resilience. And he's a hard nose coach. That's kind of something he's known for is how hard he can be on his team and how he builds the resilience. And there's a balance there that we're going to talk about in just a minute. But this hard nose nature is like the secret spice in the cake that we're making. It's the secret spice. It stays in there and it makes it have a different flavor. It makes it look different. It makes it taste different. This means teaching resilience and mental toughness to tackle those challenges. Head on. Just tackle them. You're not afraid because your resilience, you have that courage. You can build resilience with your team by encouraging your employees to see challenges as opportunities, because really, and truly when it comes down to it, that's all they are. And there are opportunities to innovate and grow. And this sets high standards, but we always want to balance them with empathy and support and team support. Which brings me to the next one, which is values and purpose. Jim Harbaugh's known for converting several players. In fact, he had this thing I Michigan. Where he had 70 players. Be baptized. This was a value he instilled in the team. And it was a value that wasn't just a word on a board. It was a value that he carried himself. He showed the team that he had that. And then he gave them opportunities to build on that value, which created purpose and team cohesion. So the players are not just growing as a team they're growing as individuals, which makes the team better. Similarly, great companies connect to their employees by instilling these values in their team and helping them grow individually and not just as a team. Or not just as favorite employees. On the board. So we wanted to find our core values as a company. And the core values are not just words on a board. Simon Sineck will tell you that they need to be action. For example. If you have a gym at work, it doesn't mean everybody's going to have energy. You have to have that value yourself. You have to practice that yourself as the CEO and set an example. Or these values guide everybody's decisions. Look at look at Jim Harbaugh. He valued. His faith. And he instilled that in his team. And when he instilled that in his team, he started growing the individuals. So when you value things like leadership and growth and development, these things will start to show up by you putting that into the workplace. Giving your employees a chance to join or not join it's up to them, but they will grow as individuals. And this has a ripple effect and you know, me, I love me some ripple effect where it just keeps going and going and going. And then when employees feel aligned to the mission and the values. Engagement grows. And engagement grows. Look at that. 70 of the football players actually got baptized because of this leader's values and then the players wanted to be like that too. Which leads me to the next thing that he did. He did a legacy and culture building. That's what the announcer specifically said. He was known for building a great culture and he's left a legacy. Look at the San Francisco 49ers. He had that legacy there. He won the super bowl. Look at Michigan, the university of Michigan won the national championship in 2023. That was 10 years after the 49ers. Did it. And then now he's with the chargers and who knows what that's going to happen, but he has already turned that team around. So he's leaving a legacy behind. That builds an awesome culture, which is exactly what the announcer said, but let's talk about this. So you want to intentionally build a culture that endures time. Document your values. Don't just put them as words on a board. Live them, live them as an example. And invest in leadership development. This is crucial. I have seen companies fall apart and actually the number one reason an employee leaves a company is because of poor leadership. And this is a simple fix. It's a simple fixed by incorporating leadership development and understanding with your assessments, your anonymous assessments, the feedback loop, where you're having issues. Issues inside the leadership, because a simple assessment understanding how the team feels, whether their leader is actually kind to them. Understanding. Helpful are they micro-managing? Are they. Insulting them, are they making them feel less worthy? Because what's going to happen is you're going to end up with quiet, quitting, or you're going to end up with losing top talent. And when you invest in leadership development, which can be as simple as a leadership workshop, as simple as that feedback loop, Hey, we're getting this feedback on you as a manager, you're micromanaging your team. How can we work on that? How can we start to see, oh, this leader could help instead of hurt the team. That's leaving a legacy where your employees feel loved and cared for, instead of just words on the board, in the value definition. So we're defining our values, but actually taking action and caring about our team and building that trust. I want you to remember this. A strong culture isn't just to strategy it's the company's identity. It is the legacy that you are leaving behind. What do you want that to be? Do you want that to be one where you have an identity like Jim Harbaugh? Oh my gosh. Great team. Great culture. He builds a great culture. That's what makes him successful? That's what makes people want to emulate him? That's what makes the players, even the diva players, what to play better because they want. To be a part of that legacy. So like baking the perfect cake. Creating a winning culture takes effort. Intention. And the right mix of ingredients. Remember that spice? Yeah. You even want that little spice in there? Whether you're leading a football team or you're leading a corporate environment. The principles are the same. So you ready to channel your inner Harbaugh? And build culture that inspires, engages your team, and drive success. Let's get started. Learn more about building a winning culture at kathieowen.com. And also I want to note that inside the links in the description. And the show notes below are always on every video I do. I include a link to a blog post. That includes bonus resources and more. All about today's episode is just got to look in the show notes and description below. It's that simple. There'll be bonus resources and more. So until next time stay inspired. And keep building champions. On and off the field. All right. That's my, so for today, I trust that you found it helpful. If you know somebody who could benefit from this, please share it with them. And until next time I will see you next time, peace out and Namaste.
