The Mentor Leader: Secrets to Building People and Teams That Win Consistently

by Tony Dungy

Chuck Noll was very clear on this point. His aim was to create a specific culture in everything he did and in the way he did it—the Steeler Way. A player didn’t have to be the biggest, fastest, or strongest at his position, and a coach didn’t have to be the smartest or most creative, as long as everyone bought in to the Steeler Way. Coach Noll believed that our culture in Pittsburgh was unique, and he wanted people who would stick with the program and not try to implement ideas from other NFL clubs. One of the reasons we were able to win four Super Bowls in the 1970s was that every Steeler believed and bought into the team culture. And three decades later, the Steeler Way is still working—and winning—in Pittsburgh.