Culture of Excellence

To start off, I'm not a Yankees fan and never have been. At times, I felt that the Yankees organization just had a limitless debit card to go out and buy the best players in baseball - either before or during the season - to always be in contention. I relished when the Florida Marlins and their $54M payroll took down the fabled New York Yankees and their $164M payroll. I did not consider the Yankees' tactic of purchasing the best talent to be true to the game. However, after reading Culture of Excellence, I realized that the Yankees organization is the epitome of being true to a team sport. Granted, I was correct that past leadership in the organization did throw a lot of money around to see what stuck, but hearing how Brian Cashman challenged conventional wisdom and focused on how "the fit matters most" and reading about the accomplishments of Torre, Girardi, Jeter and other Yankee greats gave me a fresh perspective on the team and organization. It's an easy, enjoyable read that taught me how I could become the most effective leader in my line of work: giving everyone a fair shake and surrounding oneself with people who have the experiences and strengths one lacks (Torre), holding oneself culpable (Girardi), and that "we" is more important than "I" at all times (Jeter). Colin's personal anecdotes provide points-of-view that are both refreshing and light-hearted but are aptly placed throughout.

- Dave Blumberg (5-Star Review via Amazon.com)

As a teacher, coach, and lifelong Yankees fan, I knew Culture of Excellence was a book for me, and it did not disappoint! I planned to read it academically, for notes on leadership and culture that I could take to my professional roles, but I also found myself pleasure reading with nostalgia, as this book aligns perfectly with “my Yankees” (1970’s-present). I found Culture of Excellence to be the perfect blend of fun anecdotes about the managers and players of my lifetime, with embedded lessons in leadership and culture strategically highlighted by section titles and italicized text, lest I miss them while engrossed in the Yankees lore.

Right away, on page xvi, Colin defines culture as “the experiences you have with the people who surround you…what you believe…how you behave.” As a teacher and coach, this take on culture really resonated with me as I thought about my classroom and teams. With it in mind, I was particularly struck by a quote Colin later highlights by Yankees general manager Brian Cashman: “We go out of our way to eradicate any arrogance, and by doing so, fill the void with a thirst for knowledge and being open-minded.” Culture of Excellence is full of such awesome insights into good leadership and culture, delivered through the lens of the greatest franchise in sports history, the New York Yankees.

- Korey O’Malley Cianfrocco, Teacher , Coach & Yankee Fan (5-Star Review via Amazon.com)

There are plenty of books about historic sports franchises and there are certainly plenty of books about culture and leadership. Culture of Excellence is the best of both! I’ve known Colin for almost three decades and he is the perfect person to write this book. Not only is he an expert in leadership and group dynamics, he knows more about the Yankees than anyone I know. As a business owner I read Pillar I in one sitting. I was captivated by learning the highs and lows of the Yankees as a sports franchise and as a business under George Steinbrenner. As a Player & Team Development Coach, I appreciate Colin’s nuanced and detailed approach to culture and player development. The world is not black and white and these concepts cannot be put into a box. This book does not attempt to do that. This book instead unpacks what has allowed one organization to have sustained success over its lifetime and shares what worked for them, what didn’t, and what we can learn from their journey.

— Bobby Audley, Player & Development Coach & Podcast Host

Great read for baseball and non-baseball fans alike!

- John Root (5-Star Review via Amazon.com)

Great book for leaders, managers, aspiring leaders and managers, baseball fans, and Yankees fans.

This book is well written and well organized. Even though the book has a baseball theme, the organizational situations presented are easily relatable to any business/organization. The lessons learned can be incorporated into your team or business immediately. As the author states, “baseball players are people and baseball clubs are businesses.

- Steve Thompson (5-Star Review via Amazon.com)

Using a past example in a company to create success and optimism for a new employee was a great point in this book. Nice job CC. Yanks’ sustained success is part payroll and part smarts, not as much lately because Brian Cashman continues to not understand how to build a roster for a playoff run. The Joe Torre Yanks were a blast and amazing thanks to Gene Michael and Bob Watson and plenty of Cashman moves following. It’s now a matter of less analytics and better human-like deals to get better. Colin addresses both sides fairly!

- Mike Lindsley (5-Star Review via Amazon.com)

A quick, engaging read. Cerniglia makes his points efficiently, using numerous enjoyable and illustrative anecdotes from recent Yankees history. But even non-Yankee fans (maybe even non-baseball fans) would enjoy this. At the end of the day, the stories are all about people and culture, and are thus endlessly relatable. Recommended.

- Ethan Urtz (5-Star Review via Amazon.com)

Culture is everything. The author (Colin Cerniglia) does a fantastic job in establishing the parallels for success in sports, business, and life. I am always trying to think outside of the box to be more successful in my endeavors, and I definitely took some nuggets from Culture of Excellence to plug into my daily life as a dad, friend, and professional.

- Jacob Champagne (5-Star Review via Amazon.com)

This is a must-read. This book not only talks about the Yankees and their rise to become one of the most successful teams in baseball history, but also this book adds a different dynamic in the way of leadership, and how we can apply certain skills to our everyday professional careers to become better, more effective leaders.

- Jeff Griffin (5-Star review via Amazon.com)

As a Yankee-hater (LGM), I wasn't sure how I'd feel about sifting through evil empire anecdotes to find the leadership tips I can for. Well, I was wrong. I liked the Yankees stories as much (maybe more) as the rest and certainly learned a lot along the way. Highly recommended!

- Steve J. (5-Star Review via Amazon.com)

Easy to read approach of the Yankees to continue their history of excellence. Shows a roadmap on how to get, teach and then become successful in the game of baseball. Uses the Yankees as an example of being a great franchise and how to keep success growing from year to year.

- Drcheffrey (4-Star Review via Amazon.com)

As a self-improvement junkie, I read this book through the lens of improving my own leadership skills and contributing to the building of a better culture in my workplace. The concepts are delivered through interesting stories and anecdotes from the Yankees, making them memorable and applicable. Even though I’m not a huge baseball fan, the iconic nature of the Yankees still resonated, and I took away lessons that I use in my job as a marketing manager. If you are in a position of leadership or influence, this book is a must-read!

- Christine Cerniglia, Sr. Marketing Manager & Fitness Coach

Being a Yankees fan, the stories that Colin highlights are familiar, but it was fascinating to read a different take that wasn’t just about wins and losses. Culture of Excellence gets at one of the age-old sports questions: How does leadership and team culture affect the on-field product? The Yankees, with their eccentric leaders, compelling cast of characters, and sustained greatness, are the ideal organization for this study.

— Andrew Rotondi, Co-Host of The Bronx Pinstripes Show