If you’re burnt out, juggling casuals and “spare parts”, and hoping a fruit bowl and team brekkie will fix culture - you’re kidding yourself.

Here’s the truth: culture isn’t vibes. It’s standards, systems and accountability - lived daily. In this episode, we unpack how elite footy programs like the Melbourne Storm and Norths turn “off-cuts” into pros, and how you can install the same habits in a five-person studio.

We’re talking non-negotiables (as the floor, not the ceiling), recruiting on character over CV, team-driven leadership, and the exact rhythms - huddles, reviews and scoreboards - that lift performance without you barking orders.

Here’s what we’re covering:

-The difference between real culture and “bribery” (and why free coffees won’t save you)

-Why recruiting on character beats qualifications every day of the week

-Non-negotiables as the floor (not the ceiling) - and how to set them

-The Storm “work program”, Purple Hearts and rituals that hardwire effort

-How to build team-driven accountability (so standards police themselves)

-The review room: 3 effort-based actions, player self-scores and visible scoreboards

-Mini-teams, healthy competition and gamifying the right behaviours

-Leading with questions, not speeches - practical prompts you can steal

-How to reset a weak culture in 90 days (without blowing up your team)

-What to do when a high performer is in a slump (support vs standards)

Chapters:

⏳ [00:00] Why Your “Culture” Isn’t Working (and What It Actually Is)

⏳ [01:05] Character Over CV: How Elite Teams Recruit Winners

⏳ [07:07] Systems, Standards, Accountability - the Culture Trinity

⏳ [12:21] Rituals That Matter: Jerseys Off the Floor & Standing to Greet

⏳ [20:10] Non-Negotiables Are the Floor, Not the Ceiling

⏳ [23:06] Inside the Storm: The Work Program & Perspective Shift

⏳ [33:44] Spotting Weak Culture: Meetings, Dialogue and Behaviours

⏳ [41:10] The Review Room: Effort Metrics, Self-Scores & Scoreboards

⏳ [44:30] Build the Framework: Themes, Mini-Teams & Gamification

⏳ [51:30] Listener Q&A: Spare Parts, Monthly Meetings & Where to Start

⏳ [1:03:00] Coaching High Performers Through a Slump (Without Dropping Standards)

⏳ [1:16:20] Daily/Weekly Huddles That Drive Action (Not Just Talk)

⏳ [1:21:30] Vision That Sticks: From Top-Down to Team-Owned

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and comment below with your biggest takeaway. We read them all.

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