Review: The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle

There’s something magical about the operations of truly successful teams – a mystifying quality that makes their interactions seem faultless, predetermined and effortless. Yet far outnumbering the successful groups are the hordes of people who groan and roll their eyes at the idea of working with others. To the exasperated eye-rollers; this book is for you (although it’s also for anyone who simply wants to make the most of their interactions with other humans, be it one-to-one or in a larger team).

Daniel Coyle goes beyond investigating why certain groups are successful – from Navy SEALS and Pixar, to restaurant staff and sports teams, he’s certainly done his research of what is it to be successful. Yet Coyle goes a step further – he literally gives the reader a recipe for success in teamwork – step-by-step instructions, with a detailed method of putting the ingredients together to get a perfect result.

From how to participate in a group, to how to lead one with originality, conviction, and creativity, Coyle has an answer for any scenario. What’s more surprising than the ease of his explanations is that more people have not adopted his suggestions. Using the key skills of building safety, vulnerability and purpose, he outlines a more complex yet equally easy to implement method to become the best teammate you can be. As the title suggests, the method is a mind shift; a culture that needs to be developed and implemented. While it will not eradicate failures and mistakes, it helps you realise that what is vital in success is using your errors to better your performance and learn.

The Culture Code has the ability to be an enormous help and important tool in the arsenal of any individual, provided that you are willing to adapt your culture of complacency to one of success.

The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle is published by Random House Business Books, a part of Penguin Random House.