TeachMeTeamwork

Distinctions for Teams: Community vs. Culture

A culture is a collection of historical beliefts, behaviors, attitudes, rituals or agreed upon social intercourses.

We are the product of our culture, historically.

As coaches of teams, however, we want our clients to be equally if not more influenced by their community which is more in the present and more influential and more empowering, often, than cultural norms and expectations.

If one is following cultural expectations, one is probably not relating fully with the present because they’re being guided or dictated to by the past, and a community of people you love is a healthier form of influence than their culture.

About Distinctions: 
The first of the two words or terms is generally the better, stronger, more useful one.  Usually, nothing is “wrong” with the second word or term; it is simply weaker or less inclusive.  A coach will hear “where” the group is and/or what word of the two words the team (or a member of the team) is oriented around or coming from.  For example, many groups are still “stuck” in the power dynamic of life (force, dominance, victory, win/lose, etc.).  For a team to evolve, they would want to embrace and reorient around the notion of strength (resourcefulness, collaboration, win/win, development/success from within, etc.).  Even a single distinction can add tremendous value to a team and help them evolve.

© 1997 Copyright by Coach U.  All rights reserved.  Used with permission

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