When it comes to organizations, particularly in sports, there are three pillars that lead to a "championship" culture. It's true that only one team can end the year with the championship trophy.

A championship organization may not always emerge with the title, but they have created an environment that becomes a breeding ground for champions.

We're talking about the principles of loyalty, responsibility, and alignment.

There is perhaps no better example than the gold medal-winning 1980 U.S. Hockey Team, coached by Herb Brooks. The 2004 film Miracle, with Kurt Russell as Brooks is a great re-telling of the events. If you're a patriotic American, I dare you not to cry.

In December, Olympic hero and the goalie for the 1980 team, Jim Craig, went on the Games With Names podcast, hosted by former New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman, where Craig shared his memories of that time. Craig related stories and lessons that he learned from being a part of such an iconic team.

Craig's perspective is remarkable. As one of the greatest Olympic hockey goalies of all-time, he still credits the coaching of Herb Brooks and the impact the coach had on the collective mindset of the team more than anything.

One of the striking things was when Craig talked about one of his favorite sayings. "Don't confuse being busy with being productive."

As it applied to the U.S. team in 1980, the players and the coaching staff had no choice but to use every bit of time to their advantage. Through all their tune-up games and exhibitions, they would often practice before and after the games. Everyone needed to be in alignment with the vision that Brooks established.

Alignment is one of the principles in building that championship culture.

In those days, the Olympic hockey tournament was not a bracket like it is today. It was more of a round-robin, so the medals had more to do with just wins, losses, and ties in the standings.

Beating the Soviet Union's Red Army team in the Olympics, however,  was the sole mission Brooks was concerned with. Nothing else mattered. Let the chips fall where they may if and when the Soviets were vanquished.

Brooks designed the entire program and fashioned his coaching philosophy to beat what was arguably the greatest hockey team in the world. Instead of creating an all-star team of American amateurs which was expected, Brooks fashioned the best team he could, and some bona fide star players were left off the team.

Regarding the intuition that Brooks had as a coach, Craig told Edelman, "Great coaches see trends before they become habits."

Craig told the story of the preparation for the 1980 Games that Brooks went through. About a year ahead of time, Brooks asked his friend, Jack, an exercise physiologist at University of Minnesota, "What we have to do beat the Russians?"

"You have to change everything you do," said Jack. The U.S. Hockey Team later knew this guy as "Cardiac Jack," for he designed the conditioning program that Brooks wanted in order to go toe-to-toe with the Soviet team.

Time was also at a premium. Brooks had a limited window to not only get his players to play as a team but get aligned with his vision of beating the Soviets. Being on the "same page" would not be enough. Craig recalled that the time management Brooks employed was second to none.

"What's the most important thing in time management?" Craig asked Edelmlan. "What would your answer be?"

"Productivity," said Edelman.

Craig disagreed. "It's knowing how much time you have."

Another pillar of championship culture is loyalty. The culture Brooks established was one where, "If you didn't like me, I hope you love each other." Brooks foremost wanted players loyalty to the team, loyalty to the vision.

He was in charge, but Brooks made loyalty to teammates—and country—paramount. The goal was to beat the Soviets on the ice and on the world stage.

What is it then that holds back many coaches and organizations—those who fall short in creating loyal team members? Well, they demand devotion instead of loyalty.

Such a cult of personality does not work in the long-term. It may be a short-term fix, but being by being devoted to the coach or the leader, one becomes a yes-man.

"Devotees" don't necessarily tell the truth. They tell you what you want to hear.

"Loyalists," on the other hand, will tell you the truth, regardless of the consequences from above.

Finally, responsibility. A relative of responsibility, accountability, is at its essence being told what to do (and doing it). What Brooks desired was responsibility throughout the entire hockey team and program.

You don't have to be told, you just do it. That's responsibility.

Attention to detail. Being connected to the principles the organization has set forth and believes in. Connected to its vision.

Without responsibility, there is no ultimate sense of what winning really means.

Leaning on these three pillars of loyalty, responsibility, and alignment, Brooks cobbled together something that—at first—looked like a rag-tag bunch of players into one of the greatest examples of a championship team that has ever existed.

As always,

Brian

P.S. –  Miracle (2004) for rent or to buy at Amazon:

P.P.S. — For Edelman's full 2-plus-hour interview with Jim Craig: