Running into the Wind: Bronco Mendenhall: 5 Strategies for Building a Successful Team

There is no other collegiate football program in the world like the one found at Brigham Young University. None. Certainly that has much to do with the fact that the school is the largest religious university in the United States, owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But perhaps there is an even more unique differentiator—a head football coach who is unwavering in his unorthodox style of mentoring, strengthening, teaching, and even recruiting his players. Bronco Mendenhall's coaching style is considered jaw-dropping by many and ludicrous to some. However, no one can overlook the success the Cougars have had. How does his team consistently win ten or more games year after year? What philosophy and practices did Bronco implement to create this sustained success?

One thing we know is that Bronco's system goes against the grain. He believes that "running into the wind" is an opportunity and is key to ultimately creating a sustained competitive advantage.

The first section, "On the Field," discusses the challenges Bronco has faced as the head coach, the principles and practices he learned to face those challenges, and the on-field applications and results. The second section, "In the Football Offices," looks deeper into Bronco's "system" and the business principles and tools of the "five smooth stones" that Bronco was taught by Paul Gustavson. Whether you're a coach or a leader, the organization strategies and models that Paul taught Bronco can be applied to any business or team. Simply, this section is where the coach of the coach will coach you, too.

Paul Gustavson is an expert in the study of the strategies and design of high-performance teams and organizations. He is the recipient of the prestigious BYU Marriott School of Management’s William G. Dyer Distinguished Alumni Award. Since founding his own company, Organization Planning and Design, Inc., Paul’s consulting work has included national and international projects for Fortune 500 companies as well as over fifty startups, greenfield sites, and joint ventures. Paul’s work has been featured in more than fifty books, company magazines, and periodicals.

Alyson Von Feldt is a consultant and writer who has guided major organization design initiatives at enterprises ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies. As a writer, she has developed robust tools and training programs that showcase and simplify powerful design techniques, and she has put to paper the stories of intriguing high-performing organizations. She founded Crimson Corporation with her husband, Doug, to help leaders transform their enterprises.