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Two teams faced off, each deeply talented and practiced. And while one team historically “owned” the sport and was projected to win, the other team owned a spirit that would not let them lose.

This spirit came from three sets of brothers. One set of brothers were sons of a former contender. Their competitive, hard-working, winning spirit came from their father, whom they honored by following in his footsteps.  Another set of brothers were taken too soon, in an accident. And the third set of brothers brought a tenacious offense and winning attitude equal to none.

This spirit came from a goalie who, locked in on defending his team, tirelessly blocked 41 shots.

This spirit came from a coach who recognized the potential and uniqueness of each player and of the team as a whole, and from parents who invested in their success.

This spirit came from the efforts of each member, giving it their all for causes bigger than themselves.

For a moment, this one team united a country and the world took notice.

This is a winning culture.

How can you build a winning culture?

You do it by building upon these guiding principles.

• Camaraderie – Create a team that will support and fight to win for each other.
• Tenacity – Establish a “never give up” spirit.
• Leadership – Build a team of leaders who work together with respect for each other.
• Motivation – Bring on team members who have built-in drive and motivation. You can guide, train, and encourage; but motivation drives from within.
• Cause – This may be one of the biggest differentiators of all. When a team has a cause bigger than themselves, this will push them beyond their normal limits, to levels no one deems possible.

For valuable resources on Leadership Strengths and Tools, click here.

Deb Ingino is a highly sought-after executive coach, mentor, consultant, and speaker worldwide. Deb is well versed in business operations and in the importance of asking key questions most business leaders won’t ask themselves. She brings deep experience in leadership development, strategy, high performance team building and effective communication. She has a passion for leading people to discover and maximize their strengths as well as those of fellow team members, while offering advanced strategies to achieve high performance. Deb is the perfect fit if you’re ready to take your leadership and impact to the next level!