CULTURAL PERFORMANCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATION: A CASE STUDY OF THE UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL PROGRAM _____________________________________________ A Thesis

Presented to the Faculty in Communication and Leadership Studies School of Professional Studies Gonzaga University _____________________________________________ Under the Supervision of Professor Nobuya Inagaki Under the Mentorship of Dr. Pavel Shlossberg ____________________________________________ In Partial Fulfillment Of the requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership Studies ___________________________________________ By Marques Chavez December 2013

Abstract Methods of communication are often a significant reason for achieving organizational transformation. The primary aim of this study is to explain a case of organizational transformation by examining the cultural performances of organizational membersparticularly the performance of ritual. The Utah State University football program served as the case study while qualitative interviews and narrative research provided the methodology for gathering and analyzing data. Communication expressed in the performance of ritual significantly contributed to fostering an environment of unity and trust within the organization which, in turn, spurred transformation. While rituals were key to fostering this environment, true sincerity from leadership was also necessary to ensure the rituals were effective. The data offered is also evidence that personal identity can be shaped by the organizational experience.

Table of Contents CHAPTER1: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 Importance of Study ........................................................................................................................ 1 Statement of Purpose ...................................................................................................................... 2 Definition of Terms Used ............................................................................................................... 2 Organization of Following Chapters ............................................................................................... 3 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ......................................................................... 5 Philosophical Assumptions ............................................................................................................. 5 Theoretical Basis ............................................................................................................................. 5 The Literature.................................................................................................................................. 8 Ritual ......................................................................................................................................... 10 Personal Rituals ..................................................................................................................... 11 Task Rituals ........................................................................................................................... 11 Social Rituals ......................................................................................................................... 11 Organizational Rituals ........................................................................................................... 12 Enculteration ............................................................................................................................. 12 Sociality ..................................................................................................................................... 13 Politics ....................................................................................................................................... 13 Passion ....................................................................................................................................... 14 Leaders, Cultural Approach, and Organizational Change ............................................................ 15 Rationale ....................................................................................................................................... 17 Research Questions ....................................................................................................................... 18 CHAPTER 3: SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY ......................................................................... 19 Scope of the Project ...................................................................................................................... 19 Methodology ................................................................................................................................. 19 Sampling.................................................................................................................................... 19 Qualitative Interviews: A Component of Ethnography ............................................................. 20 Interview Questions................................................................................................................... 22 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................................ 23 Ethical Considerations .................................................................................................................. 24 CHAPTER 4: THE STUDY ......................................................................................................... 26 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 26 Results of the Study: The Rituals.................................................................................................. 27 Organizational Ritual ................................................................................................................ 27 Weekly Meetings and Setting Goals ..................................................................................... 27 Big Brother Program ............................................................................................................. 30 Champions Meeting............................................................................................................... 32 Task Ritual ................................................................................................................................ 33 Player-Run Practices ............................................................................................................. 33 Social Ritual .............................................................................................................................. 34 Community Car ..................................................................................................................... 34 Analysis......................................................................................................................................... 35

The Narratives ........................................................................................................................... 35 Players Make Plays. Players Win Games .............................................................................. 36 Mentors in Life ...................................................................................................................... 37 100 Percent Effort 100 Percent of the Time .......................................................................... 38 Discussion ..................................................................................................................................... 39 CHAPTER 5: SUMMARIES AND CONCLUSIONS ................................................................. 42 Limitations of the Study................................................................................................................ 42 Recommendations for Further Study ............................................................................................ 43 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 44 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 46

1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Importance of the Study Communication can serve as a significant catalyst for organizational change and this study examines that conceptspecifically the role cultural performances play in transformation. It employs Michael Pacanowskys theory of cultural approach to organizations as the basis for exploring organizational transformation. Pacanowsky and ODonnell-Trujillo (1982) explained that cultural performances are methods of expressed communication that reveal identity both of the individual and the organization (p. 3). Ritual is listed as one of five specific cultural performances by Pacanowsky and ODonnell-Trujillo. The transformation the Utah State University (USU) football program over the last five years is the case study for exploring the role ritual can have in organizational change. In 2008, the USU football program was named the worst Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) program in the country (Sports Illustrated, 2008). It had been a failing program for nearly 50 years having secured only two bowl game appearances since 1962. However, over the last five seasons, USU has experienced a dramatic turnaround by qualifying for three straight bowl games, winning a division title, and winning an outright conference title. This study examines the turnaround from a communications perspective and the results will offer an explanation as to the role communication plays in organizational transformation. The study identifies the rituals and narratives employed by USU coaches that spurred the transformation of the football program. It argues that the institutional rituals incorporated by the new coaching staff starting in 2008 not only played a significant factor in the recent success of the USU football program, they also helped in shaping the identity of the organization and its members.

2 The study also examines the narratives that developed as a result of the rituals. The discussion regarding ritual, communication, and the shaping of personal and organizational identity can serve as context for other organizational leaders looking to encourage transformation. The communication concepts identified as fostering organization transformation are proven to be incredibly versatile and can be effective in nearly every organizational setting. Statement of the Purpose Defining how communication ushers in transformation can be difficult. This study looks to explain how and why communication spurs organizational transformation by isolating the institutional rituals implemented by leaders and members. The study will attempt to answer the following questions: how did the cultural performance of ritual contribute to the transformation the USU football program? What narratives were revealed as a result of the rituals instituted in the program? Definition of Terms Used Cultural Approach: A theory of communication claiming that organizational culture is revealed through communication, specifically cultural performances (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982). Cultural Performance: Methods of expressed communication that reveal the culture of the organization (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 3). There are five distinct cultural performances: ritual, enculturation, passion, sociality, and politics (Pacanowsky & ODonnellTrujillo, 1982). Ritual: A repeated cultural performance that helps members of the organization earn and build a reputation, learn the ropes of the organization, identify a members status, and reveals the features of an organization (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 15).

3 Personal Ritual: The unique way of doing things for individual organizational members that also has social significance (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 16). Task Ritual: Day-to-day routines people perform to call themselves members of an organization (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 18). Social Rituals: Acts that serve as a function of identifying membership status in a group or organization (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 19). Organizational Ritual: Organizational routines that articulate multiple aspects of the organization and reveal the global features of the organizational culture (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 20). Enculteration: A cultural performance that refers to the processes by which organizational members acquire the social knowledge and skills necessary to behave as competent members (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, pp. 32-33). Narratives: Symbolic actions that have sequence and meaning for those who live, create, or interpret them (Fisher, 1984, p. 2). Organization of Following Chapters This study is organized into five chapters with the first being an introduction to the study, the research questions, and an overview of the approach of the study. The second chapter is a review of the literature starting with Pacanowskys communication theory of cultural approach to organizations. Chapter two will also examine other studies that used cultural and relational concepts to help foster an environment for organizational transformation. Chapter three is a review of the scope and methodology of the study with an explanation of the qualitative methods that were employed for gathering data as well as the use of narrative research as a process for data analysis. The fourth chapter is the presentation of the study, the identification of the rituals,

4 analysis of the data, and the discussion of the implications the data presents. Chapter five is an explanation of the limitations of the study, recommendations for future research, as well as concluding observations of the study.

5 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Philosophical Assumptions Ontology is an explicit specification of a conceptualization (Gruber, 1993, p. 199). A conceptualization refers to an abstract model of how people think about things in the world, usually restricted to a particular subject area (Gruninger & Lee, 2002, p. 39). It is the concept of how a person or subject views reality. This study focuses on the role cultural performances play in organizational change. Cultural performance refers to the theatricality of performance and the process of bringing about completion (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 5). The execution of cultural performances forms the ontological construction of organizational reality for both the observer and the participants in the performance (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 5). What one person perceives as reality, and the reasons for that reality, may not be the same to everybody else in the organization. This study assumes that reality is indeed subjective and the organizational leader that is best able to articulate a focused vision, execute and reinforce that vision through cultural performance, and have organizational members come to a consensus of reality will be effective in instituting organizational change. Theoretical Basis As stated previously, this study is based primarily on Pacanowskys theory of cultural approach to organizationsthat it is through communication that the culture and identity of both the organization and the individual is revealed. More specifically, the study is an examination of the cultural performance of ritual and how this performance serves as an agent of organizational transformation. The study identifies rituals that were implemented by both leadership and

6 organizational members to spur transformation in an organization that had achieved little success over several decades. Explaining organizational culture through cultural performance has its roots in anthropology. Clifford Geertz (1973) was an anthropologist who identified culture as "webs of significance that man himself has spun (p. 5). Pacanowskys communication theory of cultural approach to organizations builds upon the work of Geertz. Pacanowsky and ODonnell-Trujillo (1982) explained that we should not only be concerned about these webs, but the process of how the webs are spun (p. 4). An organizations culture is the collection of values shared by people in an organization that control the way they interact with each other and with stakeholders (Appelbaum, Mitraud, Gailleur, Gerbasi, Iacovella & Ivanova, 2011, p. 24). The shared values that constitute the web referenced by Pacanowsky are expressed through the process of communication, which give an insight to the organization's culture (Meyer, 1995, p. 210). Not only is communication the process of how culture is developed, it is the process by which culture is revealed. Edgar Schein (1983) argued that organizational culture is a pattern of basic assumptions that a group has developed to cope with its problems of external adaptation and internal integration (p. 14). The formation of the organizational culture follows a fairly basic pattern. When a group faces a problem, a member proposes a solution and if the group views that solution as effective, it is adopted (Schein, 1983, p. 21). As the proposed solutions are accepted and considered valid, they are viewed as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel; and are taught to newcomers to the organization (Schein, 1983, p. 14). This description is relevant to the work of Pacanowsky because the shared assumptions and solutions described by Scheinor the

7 cultural performances as described by Pacanowskyoffer an insight to the culture and the identity of the organization and its members. One of the unique assertions made by Pacanowsky (1982) is that we could as easily concentrate on the organizational identities people develop as a consequence of their organizational experience (p. 31). He argued that personal identities are a consequence of organizational experiencethat the organization makes products of its personnel (Pacanowsky, 1982, pp. 19-20). This concept fits with the theory of transformational leadership. Transformational leadership results in both the leader and follower raising one another to higher levels of motivation and morality (Burns, 1978, p. 20). This means that both the leader and the follower transform together. As transformational leadership within an organization occurs, so does the transformation of both the organization and the individuals. Burns explanation offers support to Pacanowskys assertion that identities are shaped through organizational experiences. Pacanowsky (1982) further offered: We need to recognize that when people work, and when they talk at work and about work, they are doing more than getting a job done, or greasing the social machinery to get a job done. They are, in addition, presenting themselves as people with particular organizationally-produced identities, and this presentation of organizational self occurs as they locate themselves through their talk in particular relation to their work, to their coworkers, to their communities, and to themselves as people. (p. 20) The bond between the organization and its individual members has significantly more meaning than the superfluous obligation of completing tasks required for membership. Because of this stronger correlation, individual identity, as revealed through cultural performances,

8 reveals the wants, desires, frustrations, and other emotions of both the leaders and subordinates of an organization. Personal identity being shaped by organizational experience means the members of the organization are personally invested in the organization far more than they may actually realize. Cultural performances reveal what values the organization and its members hold as priority. What follows is a review of the literature that examines Pacanowskys theory of cultural approach to organizations by identifying and defining the different components of the theory. The Literature Those who ascribe to cultural approach to organizations believe that organizations do not have a culture, they are the cultureand that culture is revealed through communication (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982; Trujillo, 1992; Schein, 1983). These acts of communication can also be viewed as symbols. Communication is the construction of signs in use (Rothenbuhler, 2006, p. 18). In their work on organizational symbolism, Dandridge, Mitroff and Joyce (1980) explained that symbolism expresses the underlying character, ideology, or value system of an organization (p. 77). The symbolism actually reveals the members unconscious feelings, images, and values (Dandridge et al., 1980, p. 77). In his study, Meyer (2005) concluded that isolating narratives from organization members' accounts of their work lives, and categorizing narratives by major theme, led to an understanding of the values most often stressed by members (p. 220). The literature relays the theme that it is through an organizational members communication that identityof both the member and the organizationis revealed. The different methods of communication that are expressed to reveal identity are what Pacanowsky and ODonnell-Trujillo (1982) described as cultural performance (p. 3).

9 Cultural performance allows us to more fully exploit our understanding of communication as a process and culture as a social construction continually re-constructed (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 3). The communication among organizational members can be likened to a performance between different actors on a stage (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 7). The person who observes communication among organizational members, much like an observer of a play on stage, is given a window into the culture of that organization. It must be understood, however, that the term performance does not equate to an act or ruse. These actions are not inauthentic nor superficial; they are the very things which bring to completion a sense of reality (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 8). As stated previously in this chapter, there are two meanings to performance that help clarify this designation. The first meaning refers to the theatricality of performance; and the second meaning refers to the process of bringing about completion (Pacanowsky & ODonnellTrujillo, 1982, p. 5). These two streams of thought come together for us as we conceive of performances as those situationally relative and variable interactions by which organizational members construct organizational reality (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 5). Pacanowsky and ODonnell-Trujillo argued that cultural performances reveal the actors reality, or what they have constructed as reality. This concept infers that reality can be a subjective experience. What is reality to one member of the organization may not be reality for another. Through cultural performance, a true understanding of the organizational members ontological perspective is gained. Cultural performances are interactional, contextual, episodic, and improvisational (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982). They are interactional because they are not soliloquies but dialogues requiring more than one person. They are contextual in the sense that

10 they are embedded in organizational history and make sense of what is disclosed in the performances (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 11). Performances are also distinct events easily able to identify; and in what distinctly separates them from theatrical productions is the fact that organizational members, unlike actors' lines, are not tightly scripted (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, pp. 9-13). Although some performances may be structured and the actors may have general expectations about what others might say, they never know with exact certainty what the upcoming lines of those actors might be (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 14). Schein (1996b) asserted that behavior alone cannot be used to decipher culture because situational contingencies will make the members of the organization behave in a manner that is inconsistent with their deeper values and assumptions (p. 11). The key for the observer, then, is to understand the different types of cultural performances in order to determine what they actually mean. Pacanowsky and ODonnell-Trujillo (1982) described five distinct cultural performances: ritual, enculturation, passion, sociality, and politics (p. 16). An explanation of each performance follows but given that this study focuses primarily on ritual, a more detailed explanation of each component of that performance will be offered. Ritual Organizational culture is constituted in the various rituals regularly performed by members of the organization (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 16). Nearly all communicationincluding greeting, parting, and boundary maintenancehas ritualistic function and character (Rothenbuhler, 2006, p. 15). These rituals help the members of the organization earn and build a reputation, learn the ropes of the organization, identify a members status, and reveal the features of an organization (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982).

11 Rituals are a deliberate form of communication executed in a performance. There are four different types of rituals: personal, tasking, social, and organizational. Personal rituals. Organizational members develop their own unique ways of doing things, and these unique ways become endowed with a social significance that elevates them to the status of personal ritual (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 16). These trademark performances not only reveal organizational identity, they also serve as personality displays that orient others of the persons identity (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 16). For example, how a leader manages meetingsconfrontational, inviting, encouraging of open conversation, etc.is a revealing personal ritual. They are critical incidents which we draw on when we talk about and make sense of particular organizational member (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 17). Task rituals. Task rituals are those day-to-day routines members perform to call themselves members of the organization (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 18). These tasks are usually assigned by supervisors in the beginning but as organizational members learn the ropes, the tasks are adapted (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 18). Cultural approach to organizations suggests that the significance of these tasks transcends the managerial notions of productivity (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 18). Social rituals. Social rituals can serve as a function of identifying membership status in a group or organization (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 19). Social rituals may include weekly happy hour gatherings, individuals eating lunch together on a regular basis, or practical jokes being played among co-workers. Participating in these social rituals displays the unity or oneness of a group (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 19).

12 Organizational rituals. Organizational rituals may include the company picnic, Christmas party, or regularly-scheduled department meetings. They articulate multiple aspects of the organization and reveal the global features of the organizational culture (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 20). While the original intent of the ritual is revealing, so, too, is the actual execution of the performance of organizational rituals. Enculteration A performance that is similar to ritual is enculturation, which refers to those processes by which organizational members acquire the social knowledge and skills necessary to behave as competent members (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, pp. 32-33). This is the learning process for newcomers, although it does also continue throughout the career of the member of the organization (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 32). There are two specific aspects of enculturation: learning the ropes and learning the roles. While learning the ropes refers to teaching a newcomer how things are done in the organization; learning the roles teaches the newcomer his place in the organization (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 32). As the culture of the organization changes, so does the performance of enculturation. For example, if an organization has implemented standards to help increase production, in all likelihood, the enculturation of newcomers has also shifted so as to sustain the positive change. A reminder of Scheins pattern of organizational culture is helpful for understanding. He stated that as proposed solutions are considered valid, it is viewed as the correct way to perceive, think and feel and is taught to newcomers to the organization (Schein, 1983, p. 14). Positive momentum in an organization would only be short-term unless effective organizational leaders are able to recognize and reinforce the positive actions so the momentum can be maintained (Jansen, 2004, p. 292).

13 Sociality The organization is also a thriving hub of sociality. It brings together many different people from different walks of life supposedly united in accomplishing a similar goal. Sociality is formalized in organizational codes of behavior and guides to etiquette (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 26). A reminder of organizational symbolism is helpful to explain these codes. Dandridge, Mitroff, and Joyce (1980) explained: Organizational symbolism refers to those aspects of an organization that its members use to reveal or make comprehendible the unconscious feelings, images, and values that are inherent in that organization. Sociality is a significant avenue in which organizational symbolism is evident among organizational members. (p. 77) Sociality includes courtesies, pleasantries, sociabilitieswhich include joke-telling and bitch sessionsand privacies, or closed-door meetings (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 26). While sociality does have unwritten rules of etiquette, the adherence to these rules is often improvisational. For example, the act of two co-workers complaining about a supervisor often begins as an improvisational act. However, this can lead to the calculated use of sociality, which then can then lead to the performance of politics. Politics Just as social interaction is inherent in each organization, so is the attempt of members to gain and exert power. This is the political nature of cultural approach recognizing that many organizational performances are aimed at influencing others (Pacanowsky & ODonnellTrujillo, 1982, p. 29). The performance of politics includes showing personal strength, cementing allies, and bargaining (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 29). Politics is a process by which a person reveals identity regarding his or her priorities within the organization,

14 standing among peers, and the execution of power. It also reveals how members view the organization and how they can increase their standing within it. Passion Passion refers to the transformation of mundane events within the organization. The telling of these events is not so much constituted in the organizational activities themselves, but in the heightened descriptions of these activities (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 22). What is key to this performance is that it is the actual representation of how the members of the organization view what has transpired. Myrsiades (1987) stated that organizational stories create and sustain organizational groups (p.112). Hansen (2007) further explained that narratives frame the way historical agents make sense of their surroundings and in doing so, they offer resources for, as well as constraints on, human choices (p. 927). Even if the stories told by organizational members are exaggeratedand in many cases they arethey still serve as an accurate representation because they reveal the ontological reality of the storyteller. They do not merely transmit information or guide behavior; they are themselves as symbolic realities extended real-life metaphors (Myrsiades, 1987, p. 112). Pacanowsky and ODonnell-Trujillo (1982) listed three types of storytelling: personal stories, collegial stories, and corporate stories (pp. 23-25). Personal stories are those which individuals tell about themselves and often embellish organizational identities, particularly of the storyteller (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 23). These narratives explain identities and are embedded and revelatory of the organizations culture (Hansen, 2007). The performance of personal stories reiterates the fact that identity is a construct that actors change over time (Hansen, 2007, p. 926).

15 Similarly, collegial stories are narratives shared about other organizational members (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 23). The stories can include communication relating to all the cultural performances listed in this study that have been executed by other members of the organization. While personal stories often embellish the role of the storyteller, collegial stories are not typically sanctioned by management and often present the passions underlying the way the organization really works from the view of the members (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, pp. 23-24). Corporate stories are narratives presenting the ideology of management in an effort to substantiate organizational procedures (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 25). It is critical to understand the role historical narratives play in organizational change. Hansen (2007) stated that an organization with an unsubstantiated history or narrative will be more likely to change than an organization with a strong history (p. 949). Organizations with strong, wellestablished historiesboth positive and negativeare less likely to change. The concept highlights how narratives can both enhance or restrict positive organizational transformation. Leaders, Cultural Approach, and Organizational Change Trujillo (1992) explained that the true promise of interpretive research in organizations is to explicate multiple senses of reality (including power and ideology) and to reveal the multiple (not just managerial) voices which assign meaning to these senses of reality (p. 366). Even with a thorough understanding of cultural approach and how it helps explain organizational transformation, there still needs to be an understanding as to why it matters. Schein (1996b) stated that we must recognize and accept how deeply embedded the shared assumptions of organizational members are at all levels (p. 19). The organizational leader that is able to identify the meanings of cultural performances so as to promote shared assumptions will be able to

16 institute successful strategies for the organization. Jansen (2004) further elaborated on the importance of understanding the shared assumptions, or narratives, within an organization. In contrast to the adage that no news is good news when trying to maintain momentum, the message may be the more news relevant to the focal change the better. At a minimum, it may be beneficial to refresh the message to maintain momentum. (p. 292) The obvious implication is that there will be shared assumptions among organizational members whether or not leadership is actively engaging in fostering an environment of organizational transformationor trying at least to maintain its current perceptions. However, the cultural performances of the members of the organization will provide an opportunity for the leader to know whether or not the strategies implemented in the organization are effective in what it is trying to achieve. Tucker and Russell (2004) argued that relational behavior affects the performance of an organization (p. 105). Perhaps the biggest error a manager can make is to accept the conflict within the organization as normal and leading members of each culture to devalue the concerns of the other rather than looking for integrative solutions that will benefit both (Schein, 1996b, p. 19). However, understanding conflicts, or different ontological perceptions of reality, can be accomplished by interpreting the cultural performances of the members of the organization. The performances serve as communicative text that can be read to foster positive transformation (Rothenbuhler, 2006, p. 14). Once the identification of the realities is achieved and progress begins, leaders and other organizational members begin to understand how to create similar cultural milieux, incentive and control systems that operate in the same way (Schein, 1996a, p. 234).

17 Before instituting strategies or rituals to inspire organizational change, an assessment of the organizational environment should occur. For example, Sarros, Cooper, and Santora (2008) conducted a study to determine which support systems are most conducive to building a climate of innovation within organizations: The evidence in this study suggests that transformational leadership is associated with organizational culture, primarily through the processes of articulating a vision, and to a lesser extent through the setting of high performance expectations and providing individual support to workers. (p. 155) This study not only asserts that the organizational culture can be identified, it affirms that certain actions can be taken to influence that culture; or to put it another way, strategies (or rituals) can be implemented to improve the organizational environment. Rationale The literature reviewed for this study expounds upon the significant aspect of organizational culture. It has defined organizational culture as the shared meaning of assumptions and meanings within an organization (Schein, 1983). An explanation of Pacanowskys cultural approach to organizations was offered as a means to help determine those shared meanings within the organizational culture. The literature described how an understanding of cultural performance can help usher in organizational transformation. It also explained that individual identities are products of the organization, relaying the power and responsibility the organization has to its members. Cultural approach to organizations offers an understanding of cultural performances, explains their meaning, and can ultimately lead to the identification of the pathway toward organizational transformation. As members of the

18 organizationparticularly those with significant influencecome to understand these principles, they will be better positioned to enact positive change with long-reaching effects. Research Questions RQ1: How did the cultural performance of ritual lead to the transformation the Utah State University football program? RQ2: What narratives were revealed as a result of the new rituals instituted in the program?

19 CHAPTER 3: SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY Scope of the Project This study examined two aspects of an organization: communication and culture. From a theoretical context, Pacanowskys theory of cultural approach to organizationsspecifically the cultural performance of ritualwill be employed to explain the role culture and communication play in facilitating organizational transformation (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 32). There are additional performances described by Pacanowsky as part of his theory that will also be referenced. The focus on the specific performance of ritual is a result of time constraints on the thesis as well as the specific focus on qualitative interviews as a methodology. A brief examination of the role of transformational leadership is also offered in this study. The scope and the methodology outlined were applied to explore the transformation of the USU football program between the years of 2008-2013. Data was gathered from coaches, players, and other administrators who were members of the organization during that time. Data was also gathered from those who were members of the organization prior to 2008 so as to contrast approaches used prior to the transformation. Methodology Sampling Qualitative research tends to use nonprobability or nonrandom samples (Neuman, 2005, p. 220). Additionally, the qualitative researcher selects cases gradually with the specific content of the case determining whether it is chosen (Neuman, 2005, p. 220). In this study, qualitative research with a nonprobability sampling process is utilized in the methodology. The study of the USU football program also dictated the technique of nonprobability sampling that was engaged.

20 Purposive or judgmental sampling uses the judgment of the researcher or expert in selecting cases or it selects cases with a specific purpose in mind (Neuman, 2005, p. 222). Neuman (2005) further elaborated that purposive sampling also occurs when a researcher wants to identify particular cases for in-depth investigation (p. 222). The specific casesor organizational memberswere identified and I conducted an in-depth investigation with a specific purpose in mind. The organizational members range from administrators, to coaches, to individual players. As the research proceeded, the data revealed specific cases that provided unique insight. As such, purposive sampling was the technique most applicable for this study. Qualitative Interviews: A Component of Ethnography Qualitative research methods were employed in gathering data. Two methods of research were utilized, one serving as a primary method and another as a supplemental method in data analysis. The preferred methodology for cultural communication and cultural approach to organizations is ethnography. Ethnography refers to a research methodology that has been developed for the study of cultures and culture sense-making (Eriksson & Kovalainen, 2008, p. 137). It originated from cultural anthropology and means describing a culture and understanding another way of life from a native point of view (Neuman, 2005, p. 381). Given logistical and time constraints, a full ethnography, which requires prolonged, firsthand observation of the culture being studied, was not feasible. However, this is a culture with which I have a significant understanding given that I completed my undergraduate degree at USU, including serving as a sports reporter for the campus television news programs. As such, elements of authoethnography, or using the personal and reflective perspective of the researcher, served to assist in the study (Eriksson & Kovalainen, 2008, p. 139). The primary method of gathering data is a component of ethnography: qualitative interviews.

21 Eriksson & Kovalainen (2008) argued that a whole ethnographic study can be based on qualitative interviews (p. 145). It is with qualitative interviews that purposive sampling came into play on this study. As stated previous, members of the coaching staff and the athletic directors office offered unique data regarding the approaches and rituals instigated at USU. Qualitative interviews were also conducted with players, starting with those who have been members of the organization since 2009. These players have witnessed the transformation and were able to offer valuable insight as to the rituals, narratives, and approaches used by the coaches that spurred change. Members of the program prior to 2008 under previous coaches were also interviewed to serve as a contrast. As with any study requiring the use of ethnographic elements, the research began with the selection of a potential field site (Eriksson & Kovalainen, 2008, p. 141). When the field site is determined, the researcher must negotiate access in order to begin participant observation (Eriksson & Kovalainen, 2008, p. 141). Consequently, once the football program of Utah State University was selected as the case study, I contacted the university with two requests: first, to ask permission to use the universitys football program as the focus of this study; and second, to request permission to conduct interviews with key administrators, coaches, and players within the organization. Permission was granted for both requests. The study allowed me to gain insight into cultural practices and phenomena of the organization (Eriksson & Kovalainen, 2008, p. 141). The ultimate goal of this study is to give an explanation from a communication standpoint as to how organizational transformation occurred. For this reason, the narratives the organization created that helped spur transformation are also examined. This required that the qualitative interviews were supplemented with narrative research.

22 Interview Questions The purpose of the interviews was two-fold: first, to determine what rituals were established and practiced starting in 2008; and second, to determine the effect those rituals had on the team both on and off the field. A few rituals were already identified either in local media coverage or through public statements. Those rituals were explored through the interviews. As with the rituals, the public statements and personal qualitative interviews of organizational members were used to identify the narratives developed within the program. The integration of new recruits into the program was explored. What were the processes in place to welcome new players into the program? How were players shown the ropes of the program and did they feel welcome? What was the team dynamic in the locker room and did it change as the program changed? How did the team dynamic affect performance on the field? Assuming the chemistry within the team became more unified, what rituals or routines caused this change? Any routines and rituals that developed organically among the players were also examined. Why did they develop? What is the significance of these rituals? How much influence did the organizational rituals have on the creation of social or task rituals by the players? Finally, there was an analysis of the communication rituals between players and coaches. Were the coaches accessible? If so, what parameters were in place to foster that environment? How did players and coaches communicate with each other off of the field? Were there individual meetings between coaches and players; and if so, what was the emphasis in these meetings? Did a relationship form between players and coaches as a result of these rituals? How and why would that have an effect on performance on the field?

23 Data Analysis Narrative research and qualitative interviews work as natural supplements to each other. Eriksson and Kovalainen (2008) explained that ethnographic research methods pay close attention to language and rhetoric (p. 138). A reminder of the definition of narrative is helpful in describing narrative research. Narratives are symbolic actions that have sequence and meaning for those who live, create, or interpret them (Fisher, 1984, p. 2). Narrative research is the study and construction of narratives or stories which are meaningful to people (Eriksson & Kovalainen, 2008, p. 211). It is the belief that people are storytellers because telling stories help us to understand ourselves and connect each other (Eriksson & Kovalainen, 2008, p. 211). As the researcher observes the organization and its cultureas revealed through cultural performancethe opportunity arises to study the narratives constructed as a part of those performances. Additionally, narrative research follows a similar construct of the storytelling performance found in cultural approach to organizations. For these reasons, narrative research served not only as a supplemental method of gathering data, it also served as the method for data analysis. Cultural approach examines organizational communication through corporate stories, personal stories, and collegial stories. Similarly, narrative research examines communication through grand narratives, personal narratives, and collective narratives. Grand narratives are globally shared cultural beliefs that explain and produce abstract social knowledge (Eriksson & Kovalainen, 2008, p. 212). They are optimistic and they provide a framework upon which individual or small group experiences and thoughts can be organized (Eriksson & Kovalainen, 2008, p. 212). A personal narrative is a recollection of events and emotions as experienced by an individual in the course of their own life (Eriksson & Kovalainen, 2008, p. 213). Collective

24 stories or narratives that deal with various types of collective stories co-produced by communities of people (Eriksson & Kovalainen, 2008, p. 213). Given the literature that has already been reviewed as part of this study, it is rather simple to find the correlation between storytelling in cultural approach and the narrative descriptions found in narrative research. In analyzing the data, overarching narratives developed among all participants in the program. Once those narratives were identified, they were analyzed to find out what contribution, if any, they had in facilitating organizational transformation. Ethical Considerations There were two major concerns about ethics and confidentiality. First, ensuring the confidentiality of the organization; and second, ensuring the confidentiality of the participants. The school administrators did grant permission to publicly identify the organization. Although it may be perceived that confidentiality of the organization is critical to gathering candid data, it would have come at the cost of explaining the true circumstances surrounding the organization for fear of providing too much detail that it could be easily identified. By ensuring the confidentiality of the organization, I would have had to dilute the richness of the description that could be offered about the organization both prior to, and following, the transformation. All participants interviewed were assured confidentiality to help secure rich data from the individuals, particularly during qualitative interviews. This study does include public statements made by players and coaches in the media. The organizational members identified in the study are likely done so as a result of inclusion of these public statements. Others identified, such as USU head coaches Gary Andersen and Matt Wells, are identified in giving the historical context of the organization. It should not be assumed that any coach, player, or administrator named in

25 this study participated in the interview process. Confidentiality is maintained for those who were personally interviewed for the study.

26 CHAPTER 4: THE STUDY Introduction Gary Andersen was hired as head coach of the Utah State University (USU) football program on December 4, 2008 (Fisher, 2008). He led USU to a conference championship in 2012 as well as two straight bowl game appearances. Following his success at USU, Andersen was hired as head football coach at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and USU offensive coordinator Matt Wells was hired in December 2012 as his replacement. Wells vowed to continue the concepts and rituals instituted by Andersen with Wells even stating, He's [Andersens] the guy that showed me the blueprint (Associated Press, 2012). Before delving into the specific rituals instituted under Andersen and his staff, it is important to understand the framework in which coaches approached the program. [Coach Andersen] focused on three pillars of Utah State football and they are taking care of the kid academically, socially, and athletically. Fortunately for us, we had an administration that was very supportive of the fact that Coach Andersen wanted his coaches to be accountable for the players socially, academically, and athleticallynot just on the athletic side of things. (Andersen staff member, personal communication, July 1, 2013) This is a common theme among the rituals instituted by Andersen. Every component revolved around the players academics, sociality, and athletics. The athletic component is fairly straight forward with coaches doing all they could to ensure the players achieved success on the fieldwhether it was in practice, in the weight room, in film study, or in a game. In academics, coaches drove players to succeed in the classroom and achieve the goal of earning a degree. In

27 the social aspects, the coaches looked to develop relationships with the players and also stressed the importance of being reliable, accountable, and good to other people including teammates. Having knowledge of this approach will help the observer understand why and how the rituals instituted since 2008 were so effective. Results of the Study: The Rituals As explained in the second chapter of this study, there are four ritual performances: personal, task, social, and organizational. The following chapter will offer several rituals that are examples of these performances that helped spur, or at least explain, organizational transformation. In many cases, a brief explanation of how the organization functioned prior to 2008 is offered as a contrast to provide perspective as to why the ritual was effective. Organizational Rituals Organizational rituals are those performances that articulate multiple aspects of the organization and reveal the global features of the organizational culture (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 20). The organizational rituals are as follows: Weekly meetings and setting goals. Andersen believed in setting goals. He established that players should set goals in all aspects of lifeacademically, socially, and athletically, in this caseand do all they can to achieve those goals. It was also the duty of the coaches to do all that they could to help the players achieve these goals. This provided an opportunity to implement a ritual that not only helped players set and achieve goals, it provided for relationship building between players and coaches. Every six weeks, each of the players are asked to set a few goals in each of the three areas we emphasize: academically, socially, and athletically. And those goals were hung up in the assistant coaches offices and once a week, the position coaches would have meetings

28 with their players. However, they cannot discuss anything football related. So, they may go over the players syllabus, or ask, What's going on in your classes? What tests do you have coming up? What's going on with mom or dad or girlfriend or your family? What's going on with your roommates? Things like that that matter. The emphasis is to, first, breakdown that barrier so that the players know that we care about them academically and socially along with athletically; and second, we can step in and assist in any situation that we need to. (Andersen staff member, personal communication, July 1, 2013) There are actually two rituals explained by this coach: first, the ritual of regularly setting and reviewing goals; and second, the ritual of conducting regularly-scheduled meetings between players and coaches. A reminder that rituals are performances that reveal features of the organizationand more specifically, organizational rituals reveal global features of organizational culture (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 20). The organization valued goal-setting but also the development of trust between players and coaches. This was unique particularly when contrasted with the culture of the program prior to 2008. Those players who were in the program during that time expressed that although they felt that the coaches were available should they want to discuss anything, it was not implemented at the institutional level as a regularly-occurring ritual. That led to coaches not being as familiar with the players both on and off the field. Recall that organizational rituals often reveal multiple aspects of the organizational culture, which is why the second component to this ritual is so revelatory. The requirement that the coach and player not discuss anything football related is a telling characteristic of the weekly meetings ritual. This, for lack of a better phrase, forced the coach and player to get to know one another beyond the superficial banter of the one thing they had in commonbeing members of the USU football program. It is comparable to co-workers

29 who are friends outside of work and do not need to rely on discussing work-related topics to have a conversation, or trust. This component of the ritual allowed the coach and player to strengthen their relationship beyond football. The question of why would this would matter on the field needs to be explained. Why would the ritual of conducting weekly meetings that do not focus on football help spur transformation? One answer to that question lies in an examination of the culture prior to 2008: I dont really know if the coaches I played for did anything beyond the field to make the team more cohesive. And Ill be 100 percent honest with you, I really liked [previous Head] Coach [Brent] Guy but I didnt think his assistants were worth a damn. I am not saying they didnt know football, because they did. I just dont think they knew how to relate to kids and they would only spend all their time with the kids that they already knew which was often only the upper classmen. It was not the better players, just the ones that had been there the longest. The coaches had a real issue with developing young players and playing younger players. (former USU player 2006-2007, personal communication, November 3, 2013) Had the coaches prior to 2008 taken the time to get to know the players both on and off the field, perhaps they could have created a more cohesive unit or at least a trust from the players that the coaches decisions were correct. However, this assertion begs the question of whether or not players are actually in a position to dictate who should play and who should not. After all, this sentiment could have been coming from players who were jealous that they were not playing and felt that they should have been. It should be noted that the player who gave the above quote did buck the trend and played as a true freshman at USU. Also, a coach on the Andersen staff believes that the players do in fact know who is truly deserving of their places on the depth chart:

30 A lot of that was not done from a coaching staff standpoint, a lot of that was done from the players themselves. The way that we've always approached it, and really the way that a lot of the programs are, is if you don't put the depth chart in front of the players, 99.99 percent of the time the depth chart that they would put together would be the exact same one. The coaching staff and the players would put the same depth chart together. (personal communication, July 1, 2013) This assertion is rather telling of the trust the coaches under Andersen and Wells had in their playersa trust that likely came as a result of these meetings. Big Brother program. Recruiting players is only the first step of a long process of building a team. Once the players arrive, they need to be assimilated into the team. There is always a learning process for new members no matter the organization and that process can be made more difficult due to the dynamic of the organization. A reminder of the team atmosphere prior to 2008 is helpful to understand the contrasts. There were a lot of cliques on the team. Obviously, the offense had their cliques and the defense had their cliques. But if you werent a starter or someone that really stuck out, you didnt feel like you were part of the group. The big cliques would hang out and have parties off of the field but there wasnt a whole team atmosphere. (former USU player 2007, personal communication, November 3, 2013) The tension and division in the locker room prior to 2008 were clear and incoming players were left to find their own place in a fractured environment. One organizational ritual instituted for incoming players under Andersen not only helped them ingratiate into the team but it also helped create a cohesive team environment. A member of the Andersen coaching staff at both USU and Wisconsin explained:

31 Probably the biggest thing that we did to help welcome recruits is what we called a Big Brother program where we assigned each of the newcomers a big brother from our team. That teammate is responsible for being there for him not only for their athletic needs such as getting to the meetings or the practices or the weightlifting groups on timebut also to help show him the ropes. To take him around campus to see where their classes are and just do different things and be that big brother and be that support system for that individual. (personal communication, November 11, 2013) The Big Brother program, or any similar mentor program whether institutionalized or organic, is not unique to USU. College football programs from the Pac 12 (Hampton, 2012) to smaller FBS conferences (Ryan, 2012) often have some form of mentoring program. However, prior to 2008, the USU team was a fractured unit and according to the players interviewed for this study, did not have an environment that fostered mentoring by upperclassmen. The Big Brother program instituted by Andersen served as much as a unifying ritual revealing that the organization prioritized unity and team chemistry. [The Big Brother program] helps with team chemistry. I mean, at the end of the day, you are all working for the same thing and if you find yourself colliding with everyone, you are not going to have that chemistry in the locker room to help you become successful. I would say the most part is that you all have the same mindset. (junior USU player, personal communication, October 22, 2013) This ritual highlights a few of the similarities between ritual and enculteration. The ritual helped the newcomers learn the ropes (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 16) of the organization as well as acquire the social skills necessary to be competent members of the program (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, pp. 32-33). Prior to 2008, incoming players

32 were welcomed with a small orientation and a welcome dinner (former USU player 2007, personal communication, November 3, 2013). As that ritual is contrasted with the welcoming of newcomers from pre- and post-2008, the big brother ritual highlights how the enculteration of newcomers changed. As the enculteration changed, so did the shift in culture and the team atmosphere. The players under the Andersen regime learned a new method of conducting business and they were teaching it to a new generation of incoming players. The new enculteration of the players, as exhibited in the ritual of the Big Brother program, was a significant step to help avoid a divided team. Champions meeting. Whether it was taking a test, completing a research paper, or doing film study, USU coaches taught that it was critical to win the day. In teaching this narrative, coaches used the spirit of competition as an opportunity to recognize accomplishments rather than motivate via failure. One ritual instituted exemplified this spirit of competition and motivation: the champions meeting. We have champions meeting on Mondays where we review the game. So, the coordinators get up and they review the goals we have as a unitthe offense, defense, and special teams. They go over their goals and they go over the positives and how they executed the game plan and whether or not they executed and achieved their goals as a unit. Then all the kids are graded on their performance on game day. We have winners, who are people who were good enough to win the game and those people are recognized. Then we have champions, who played at a championship caliber level for that game. Those people who graded out well are recognized and then after a win, we'll have a player of the game for each unit. Then we watch some highlights. (Andersen staff member, personal communication, November 11, 2013)

33 The team would conduct the champions meeting after every game whether it was a win or a loss. The only difference is after a loss, there was no player of the game that was announced. The champions meeting was an organizational ritual the helped identify a members status of the organization (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982). It also revealed the features of the organization by communicating to the players which actions offered successful contributions to the program. It reinforced both the motivation of competitionplayers definitely knew how many times each other were recognizedas well as the positive effect that comes with recognizing players who made a difference. Finally, it once again stressed the importance of setting and achieving goals. Task Ritual Task rituals are those day-to-day routines individuals perform to call themselves members of the organization (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 18). These tasks are usually assigned by supervisors in the beginning but as organizational members learn the ropes, the tasks are adapted (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 18). In the case of the USU football program, these tasks could be considered practice drills, working on technique, or attending weightlifting sessions. One task ritual that developed from the transformation of the culture was player-run practices. Player-run practices. As the divisions within the program began to heal, this task ritual became emblematic of the unity that was starting to build: Probably the biggest thing is that the players would unify themselves because during the summer, coaches can't be around. So, they're working out and they're having practices and they are player-run practices. They do it all on their own and so they help each other, they teach each other, they coach each other on the technique, on the scheme, on the

34 details. That is what really helps build the team chemistry. The team kind of sets the chemistry because the coaches aren't around. So, they develop their identity over the summer and when the coaches get involved, they kind of just all mesh together. (Andersen staff member, personal communication, November 11, 2013) The key point about this ritual is not the fact that it is overly unique among college athletic programs. In fact, it is a ritual that is fairly universal. However, as with all rituals, it is a revelatory performance about the culture of the USU program particularly among the players. I felt like that when I first showed up, there were a few guys on the team that just wanted to play football so that they could say they played Division I football but they didnt want to put the work into it that it takesthat you have to give in order to make a program good. You have to do it every day. They were not into it 100 percent of the time. If you are not into it 100 percent of the time then the program is not going to be successful. (USU senior player, personal communication, June 5, 2013). As Pacanowsky and ODonnell-Trujillo explained, these tasks transcend the managerial notions of productivity (p. 18). In the case of the USU program, performing these tasks at player-run practices was an example of the commitment of the players made up the organization and as such, revealing of the organizational culture. Social Ritual Community car. It is helpful to recall that social rituals can serve as a function of identifying membership status in a group or organization (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 19). Participating in these social rituals displays the unity or oneness of a group (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 19). One particular social ritual exemplified the oneness that developed with the team during this period of transformation.

35 [The players] all really kind of ran around together and they chose to live with each other. There would be one or two guys in the group that would have a car and so it would kind of become a community car. They would help each other out and that's the great thing about Logan and that campus community. To have that ability at Utah State really helped them just naturally form those bonds and relationships. (Andersen staff member, personal communication, November 11, 2013) In addition to describing the natural advantages of the campus of USU, this coach explained an important social ritual that highlighted the unity of the teamthe use of a community car. There was a certain amount of trust required for someone to loan their caror to ask to borrow a carto a teammate. Again, a reminder of the atmosphere of the program prior to 2008 paints a picture of a fractured team full of cliques and disunity. That hardly seems like an environment that would foster the trust necessary to share a car. This ritual is an example of how much the program changed. Analysis The Narratives As described in chapter three, narrative research served in the analysis of the rituals explained in this chapter. Narrative research is the study and construction of narratives or stories which are meaningful to people (Eriksson & Kovalainen, 2008, p. 211). The narratives reviewed here are framed around the cultural performance of passion as explained in chapter two. The personal stories, collegial stories, and corporate stories of the program are the performances by which the narratives were developed or expressed (Pacanowsky & ODonnellTrujillo, 1982, pp. 23-25). The narratives were gathered from the interviews conducted for the

36 study as well as from public comments made by organizational members in the media. The following is an examination of three narratives that resulted from the rituals instituted. Players make plays. Players win games. One example of a narrative expressed as a corporate story was the insistence by coaches that the players are the primary reason why people attended and watched the games. Andersen, and Wells after him, gave all credit to the players for the success of the program while shouldering blame for any shortcomings. "This is not about me in any way, shape or form, and it never will be," Andersen was often quoted as saying (Potrykus, 2013). He even wears a wristband with the words: Players make plays. Players win games (Potrykus, 2013). The following examples of collegial stories explain how strongly this narrative resonated with the players: He [Andersen] is all about the players and thats what he talks about. He really just wants us to be what is associated with Utah State football. His mindset for the coaches was that they were there to help and teach and players play the game. Were going to be the ones out on the field making plays and that is how his mindset was. (USU senior player, personal communication, June 5, 2013) Remarked another senior USU player: I think thats what Coach Andersen did that was great because before every game he would tell us, players make plays and players win games. Really, we saw that in the Hawaii game in 2011 where entire season totally changed. So, after that, it really widened our eyes up. (personal communication, June 5, 2013) It must be pointed out this narrative did not mean that the players could do whatever they wanted. The narrative of giving all the credit to the players did not only serve to boost the payers egos, it was also a method to motivate and make the players accountable for their play.

37 The accountability was among the three key phases already discussed in this study. While USU coaches went out of their way to praise his players efforts and accomplishments, the players went out of their way to be deserving of that praise. The mantra also offered a revealing aspect of Andersens character. Whether it served as a reminder to keep his own ego in check or to shine a light on the players he coached, he truly wanted his players to succeed. Mentors in life. One of the end results of the rituals was a building and strengthening of the relationships among players and coaches. The coaches are not only there to help you with football but to also be a mentor in life. You know that you can always go in and talk to them and know that they are there for you in any situation that you need. Many players say that they could talk to Coach Andersen and Wells about anything, almost like a second dad kind of thing; or their dad away from home. (USU junior player, personal communication, October 22, 2013) The collegial stories of the players offer insight into how this mentorship by the coaches became a narrative that motivated players to excel both on and off the field. Here is what senior cornerback Nevin Lawson explained about this narrative: Every year I've seen this program grow more and more. More talent keeps coming in with players and coaches. Coach (Gary) Andersen started it by surrounding us with great coaches who don't care just about winning, but care about our well-being and everything we do off the field. That's what really made this a better program. Showing your players you care about them as a person makes them want to go out and play harder. (Allen, 2013) The relationships forged among players and coaches stemmed from Andersens approach of supporting the players academically, socially, and athletically. It helped the players succeed in

38 nearly every phase of their collegiate experience because of a strong support system helping them every step of the way. 100 Percent Effort 100 Percent of the Time. The following narrative was expressed as a collegial story but it could as easily be classified as a personal story. The narrative is summed up by revisiting a quote offered earlier by a senior player: You want to be around people that you know have your back any time of the day. Someone on the field that is going to give 110 percent that they have to play in the game and win it. I felt like that when I first showed up, there were a few guys on the team that just wanted to play football so that they could say they played Division I football but they didnt want to put the work into it that it takes. The work that you have to give in order to make a program good. You have to do it every day. They were not into it 100 percent of the time. If you are not into it 100 percent of the time then the program is not going to be successful. (personal communication, June 5, 2013) This narrative was expressed as a story about fellow teammates but it is also a reflection of how the players see themselves. In that case, it also could qualify as a personal story. The players on the team implicitly trust their teammates because they feel that their teammates are absolutely committed to doing all the work necessary to compete. In so doing, they must also live up to that standard. That is the reason why the description of their teammates is also a description of how they see themselves. Similarly, this narrative also offers the players insight of the program prior to 2008. They believed that the players during that time were not 100 percent committed to the program or the team. This narrative could be viewed as a summation of the contrast of the program prior to 2008 and after. While the program now is committed to success both on and off the fieldas

39 well as a significant emphasis on team unitythe program before consisted of separate individuals that created a fractured locker room which resulted in futility on the fieldat least that was the viewpoint of many of the players now currently on the team. Discussion Pacanowsky argued that individual identity is shaped by organizational experience (p. 20). This study has presented compelling evidence to support that argument. The rituals instituted by USU coaches, as well as those organically developed by the players, served as communicative texts presenting the values and ideals of the program. Those players who were willing to conform to those values thrived in the organization while those who did not either failed or left. As one senior player described: For my first couple of years, it was definitely weeding out who was a player and who wasnt. Or who was there just to get by and be on scholarship and who was actually there to come playI remember [Coach Andersen] often saying, There are a lot of pretenders in this locker room. Stuff like that. But Coach Wells has said stuff like that, too. Basically, we can win with you or without you. (personal communication, June 5, 2013) Another senior player on the team offered a similar sentiment: To me, that is what Coach Andersen was trying to do. He was trying to get the players that werent fully committed and fully invested to ithe just wanted to get rid of them. As did everybody else that was part of the program. (USU senior player, personal communication, June 5, 2013) Andersen communicated to the team that the best chance of success would be a unified team supporting each other throughas the narratives explainaccountability, commitment to each other, recognizing successes, and strengthening relationships with teammates and coaches.

40 Whether the weeding out of the pretenders was a conscious act by coaches or notand members of the coaching staff insist it was not (personal communication, July, 1, 2013)does not change the fact that it did indeed happen. It happened as a result of the changes in the organizational rituals that also led to a change in the enculteration of the players. As the organization transformed, so did the members of the organization. Those members who were not willing to adapt with coaches to advance the programor to put it another way, those who did not identify with the programeventually left. Our team is a lot closer. We hang out together and before it seemed like there were these cliques that you hung out with. But now, everybodys one. You get to know each other on a personal level and it allows you to have confidence when you are playing. (USU senior player, personal communication, June 5, 2013) A reiteration of Pacanowskys assertion that reality differs upon the perspective of the individual is warranted (Pacanowsky & ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982, p. 5). The USU coaches did not have a my way or the highway approach to coaching. There was accountability and reprimand when needed but overall, it was a mutual cooperation between coaches and players resulting from the relationships built as a result of the rituals. How coaches adapted to possible divergent perspectives, at least on the field, is explained from a member of the Andersen staff when discussing player-run practices: And we see how it comes together and as coaches, we need to be adaptable as well with the needs with the type of kids that we have. We have to make sure that they are successful in the schemes and the things that we have developed. (personal communication, July 1, 2013)

41 This coach is describing how to adapt to a players needs on the field so as to best utilize his talents according to how he is implementing the coaching scheme. However, the same concept is applied to off the field matters. The relationships built between player and coach helped the coaches understand the perception or reality of the athlete. For example, if a player needs to be critiqued, coaches know the best approach to take when doing so. Some players respond better when taken aside and given a dressing down. Others may respond to being called out in front of the team. While there were firm rules that could not be brokendrug use, academic standards, etc.both coach and player were successful at understanding the perceptions of each other after forging a genuine relationship of trust. While the players identities adapted to the organizational experience, so, too, did those of the coaches in the program. The implications of organizational experience shaping personal identity are rather prodigious. The consequences of organizational experience are far reaching with Pacanowsky (1982) arguing that it is a moral activity (p. 20). The USU football program instituted specific rituals that reinforced the values it found to be essential to find successand the identities of the members of the organization were indeed shaped by these rituals. Some organizations may think certain values are essential while other organizations may think those same values are not necessary. Regardless, the identities of the organizational members will be affected by their organizational experience whether for better or for worse.

42 CHAPTER 5: SUMMARIES AND CONCLUSIONS Limitations of the Study The intent of this study is not to proclaim that communication and rituals were the only factors in the transformation of the USU football program. Other factors played a part in the transformation as well. For example, USUs athletic director developed the Football Competitive Excellence Plan which increased private funding to football by $2.5 million (USU, 2013). A dramatic improvement in facilities has also occurred. Since 2008, USU has built a 69,000 square foot athletics complex, installed new turf on the football field and in the indoor training center, and completed construction of a 26,000 square foot strength and conditioning center. This study did not significantly explore the effects these factors had on the program. However, it cannot be overlooked that the commitment to increased fundraising and upgraded facilities is in line with the narratives discussed in the study, particularly the narrative of emphasizing the importance of supporting the players. As one Andersen staff member said, You want to make those guys feel that they were the most important, most taken care of team in the nation. Then they buy even more into the system (personal communication, July 1, 2013). Another limitation of the study was the comparison of the programs pre- and post-2008. The study only focused on the differences between Andersen and his immediate predecessor, Brent Guy, who coached at USU from 2005-2008. The former USU players who were members of the organization prior to Andersen only played for Guy. A more comprehensive review of prior coaching philosophies could have provided more information either confirming or weakening the assertions made in this study. One final limitation to the study was the fact that Gary Andersen, who is widely seen as the architect of this approach at USU, was not available to be interviewed. While his insight

43 would have proven valuable, knowledgeable members of his coaching staff, both at USU and Wisconsin, did grant interviews. While Andersens contribution cannot be replaced, I believe the insight provided by current and former coaches at USU has proven more than sufficient. Recommendations for Further Study Pacanowskys theory of cultural approach to organizations encompasses five performances: ritual, enculteration, passion, sociality, and politics. This study focused primarily on ritual, although it also touched upon other performances like enculteration and passion. Further exploration of the role the other performances played in the transformation is warranted. While the performances often intertwineas has been exhibited in this studythey individually have their own characteristics that can serve as catalysts for transformation. At the very least, they could be studied as an opportunity to gain a more comprehensive understanding of how and why the organization changed. Comparing the rituals instituted at USU with rituals of other collegiate football programs is also warranted. As this study briefly discussed, the rituals at USU are not all too different from those of other programs. For example, other programs have some form of mentor program as well as player-run practices. However, comparing the specific components of these rituals and what they portray to the athletes could prove beneficial. For example, the requirement that USU coaches and players not discuss football-related topics at one-on-one meetings may be unique to USUperhaps it is not. Only by comparing the specific aspects of these rituals with those of other programs could researchers glean valuable information as to the distinctiveness of what was instituted at USU.

44 Conclusion This study identified the rituals instituted by USU coaches that helped develop the overall narratives, concepts, and values that could be used by other organizations for implementation. However, as one member of the Andersen coaching staff said, It's not as easy as plug and play going from Utah State to Wisconsin or even coming from Utah to Utah State (personal communication, July 1, 2013). This study asserts that the rituals instituted after 2008 did serve as a catalyst for instigating change. One of the key reasons for that transformation was the relationships and trust that developed among players and coaches as an effect of the rituals. You know, there's a care factor out there and that care factor is instilled in our beliefs by caring about the players academically, socially, and athletically. Not having that barrier up because if you are only concerned about winning football games and that's your only concern, then you are not going to care. And you're not going to care about the kid or understand what makes that kid tick. You'll push him aside or you'll just scream at them up and down and you won't have a good positive culture. Whereas if you get to understand them personally in those three areas, then you can become a real educator and it really makes a difference. (Andersen staff member, personal communication, July 1, 2013) Burns (1978) explained that transforming leadership occurs when one or more persons engage with others in such a way that leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality (p. 20). An organizational leader cannot simply implement the rituals offered in this study and expect success. The rituals are indeed an avenue to building trust and relationship; however, if the leader is not sincere in his or her desire to build on those relationships and express true care for other individual members of the organization, then the

45 transformation will never occur. In essence, there must be a sense of community within the organization. Kouzes and Posner (2003) stated that creating a community requires promoting shared values and developing an appreciation for the value of working together and caring about one another (p. 92). The leader must define the public values that embrace the enduring principles of the organization and those valuesas well as the followers acceptance and commitment to the valuesdetermine whether organizational transformation can be achieved (Burns, 2003, p. 29). The leader must be genuine in his or her desire to usher in transformation to benefit everyone involved in the organization. If that sincerity is legitimate, then the principles discussed in this study can be effective in reaching that goal.

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