Cracking the Code of Great Culture: Lessons from The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle

“Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora a mua.”

Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead.

For me, this whakataukī speaks directly to the heart of leadership. It highlights the reciprocal relationship between those who lead and those who follow. Leadership is not a solo act; it is a partnership. True leadership values and depends on the contributions of others. Just as followers draw strength and vision from their leaders, leaders must also recognize the importance of their followers.

This term, we had the amazing opportunity to hear from Brendan Spillane, who spoke to us about “Leading Well in Complex Times.” During this session, he recommended the book The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle (2018). I’ve just finished reading it and decided to write a blog post to (a) record my thoughts and (b) capture the key insights for easy reference and application in my role.

Key Insights from The Culture Code

What makes some groups effortlessly successful while others struggle, even with all the right resources? Coyle’s book digs into this question and reveals that the secret to thriving teams isn’t luck—it’s culture. Coyle outlines how great cultures are built, sustained, and strengthened.

Reading this book alongside Brendan’s message about leading in complex times has been a timely reminder that culture isn’t about perfection or simplicity. It’s about building an environment where people can lean in, stay connected, and work through challenges together.

The Three Pillars of Great Culture

Coyle identifies three key skills that underpin high-performing groups:

1. Build Safety

People perform best when they feel secure, connected, and valued. Safety isn’t just about physical security; it’s about belonging. Teams thrive when members know they won’t be humiliated for speaking up, making mistakes, or showing vulnerability. Leaders play a critical role here by sending consistent signals of connection, openness, and respect.

In Chapter 5, Coyle describes leaders as “greenhouse architects.” Instead of being the ones with all the answers, strong leaders focus on creating the conditions where ideas can take root, grow, and flourish. Just like tending a greenhouse, this kind of leadership is about careful design—nurturing an environment of trust, belonging, and shared purpose so that others feel safe to experiment, contribute, and collaborate. For me, this was a powerful reminder that leadership is not about control but about cultivating spaces where people can do their best thinking together.

In Chapter 6, Coyle goes deeper with Ideas for Action—gentle practices that help nurture this sense of safety. Some of these include:

• Show you’re listening. Simple gestures—like nodding, repeating back what someone has said, or asking a follow-up question—signal that their voice matters.

• Be open about not knowing everything. Sharing mistakes or admitting uncertainty early on can make it easier for others to feel comfortable contributing.

• Welcome the hard news. When someone raises a problem, appreciating their honesty builds trust and helps challenges surface sooner.

• Point to future connection. Saying things like “let’s pick this up tomorrow” or “we’ll tackle this together” reassures people that they belong and are part of the journey.

• Encourage quieter voices. Gently drawing out those who haven’t spoken ensures everyone feels included in the conversation.

  
  

Key Insight: Safety grows through small, everyday gestures. When people consistently feel seen, heard, and valued, belonging becomes the norm—and collaboration naturally follows.

For me, this reinforced the importance of slowing down and noticing the small things. Sometimes I get caught up in the big picture, but it’s the small, relational cues—the smile, the follow-up question, the reassurance—that signal to others that they belong.

2. Share Vulnerability

Contrary to the myth that leaders should always appear strong, Coyle shows that vulnerability—admitting uncertainty, asking for help, and owning mistakes—actually strengthens a team. When leaders model this behavior, they create an environment where people feel free to contribute, take risks, and innovate.

Key Insight: Vulnerability is contagious. When one person opens up, others feel permission to do the same, deepening collaboration and honesty. In my mahi, I can see how powerful this is. When I’ve been willing to admit that I don’t have all the answers, it has opened the door for colleagues and schools to share more honestly too. It’s a reminder that vulnerability isn’t weakness; it’s the start of genuine collaboration.

3. Establish Purpose

Great cultures don’t happen by accident—they’re guided by a clear sense of purpose. This purpose acts like a compass, aligning decisions and behaviors with the team’s mission. It’s not enough to simply state a vision; leaders must continually reinforce it through actions, stories, and shared language.

Key Insight: Culture is built moment by moment. Repeating and demonstrating purpose gives everyone a sense of meaning in their work. This resonates strongly with me. In the RTLB service, we often talk about why we do what we do. Purpose provides the anchor when things get messy, busy, or complex—it’s what pulls us back to the heart of our work with ākonga, whānau, and schools.

A Misconception About Culture

“One misconception about highly successful cultures is that they are happy, lighthearted places. This is mostly not the case. They are energized and engaged, but at their core, their members are oriented less around achieving happiness than around solving hard problems together” (Coyle, 2018, p. 55).

This reminder is powerful—it shifts the focus from culture being about comfort or positivity to culture being about the willingness to lean into challenges collectively. Strong cultures are not defined by avoiding tension but by using it productively to solve problems side by side.

For me, this was a really important insight. I can sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that if everyone feels happy, then the culture must be healthy. But Coyle’s perspective reframed this for me—healthy culture isn’t about avoiding discomfort; it’s about creating an environment where people can face difficult conversations, challenges, and uncertainties together. In my role, that means being okay with the messiness of problem-solving, encouraging open dialogue, and trusting that the energy of working through hard things as a team is far more valuable than keeping everything light and easy.

Why Culture Isn’t Fluff

It’s tempting to think of culture as “soft stuff,” but Coyle makes it clear that it is, in fact, the hard edge of performance. Teams that are safe, vulnerable, and purpose-driven consistently outperform those built on rigid hierarchies or fear. Culture shapes how people respond under pressure, how they collaborate, and how resilient they become when challenges arise.

In practice, I’ve seen that it’s often the culture of a team that determines whether an initiative succeeds or stalls. It’s not the resourcing or even the plan itself—it’s the way people choose to show up for one another.

Accountability is an essential part of this. Strong cultures don’t avoid hard truths for the sake of harmony. Instead, they create spaces where commitments are honored, follow-through is expected, and people hold each other to account in ways that are both respectful and constructive. For me, this is where culture becomes truly powerful: when it balances trust and belonging with the expectation that everyone contributes, takes responsibility, and keeps moving together toward a shared purpose.

Final Thought

The Culture Code is ultimately a playbook for anyone who wants to unlock the hidden power of teams. Culture isn’t an abstract idea—it’s built through everyday behaviors, conversations, and choices. By fostering safety, vulnerability, and purpose, we can create environments where people not only do great work but also become greater together.

As I reflect on both Brendan Spillane’s words and Coyle’s insights, I’m reminded that leading well in complex times isn’t about finding easy answers—it’s about investing in the culture that allows people to face complexity together.

“Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora a mua.”

Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead.

This whakataukī also feels like the perfect close. It reminds me that leadership is never about one person; it’s about the shared relationship between leaders and other team members where each gives strength to the other. Culture thrives when we honour this reciprocity and walk forward together.

Reference

Coyle, D. (2018). The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups. Bantam Books.

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