Even within an incredible winning culture, problems can still arise.

Last week, Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler got into a testy exchange with Coach Erik Spoelstra during a timeout — a blowup that seemingly runs counter to the image of stability, hard work and sacrifice the franchise has created over several years.

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Jimmy Butler and Coach Spoelstra get heated on the sidelines 😳 (via @NBCSWarriors)

March 24th 2022

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Fans and reporters have speculated that something must be wrong and that elite organizations never behave in this manner. But the reality is that many actually do. This video isn’t a poor reflection of Miami but rather a critical snapshot of a culture that has carried the team to near the top of the NBA standings.

Butler wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, Spoelstra wasn’t afraid to confront his best player, and veteran Udonis Haslem wasn’t afraid to restore order to the situation. Tempers may have flared, but it’s crucial to not lose sight of the fact that everyone was comfortable expressing concerns.

Spoelstra initially used humor to defuse the situation, before adding:

“It was pretty clear. We have a very competitive, gnarly group, and we were getting our asses kicked. Two straight games, we’re not playing to the level we want to play, and I would say virtually every single person in that huddle was pretty animated about our disappointment in how we were playing.”

The Heat culture is built on toughness — both mental and physical — and operates like a tight-knit family. Cultures with this foundation have a greater sense of commitment and accountability at their core.

The Heat are in many ways reminiscent of the Hoshi family in Japan.

The Hoshi family runs the Hotel Hoshi, the second-oldest hotel in the world and the oldest still-operating family business. Built in 718 AD, Hōshi has been operated by the same family for 46 consecutive generations. Inevitably, tensions have simmered at various points.

But the Hoshi family believes that true enlightenment can only be found in the pursuit of justice. Their family teachings and belief systems dictate that only by shunning alliances can the soul remain free to do what is right — and to the family, doing what is right for the business is far more important than what is right for the individual members.

The Hoshi and the Heat have similar belief systems. The Heat culture wants to do what is right for winning, not what makes everyone comfortable in the moment. Both cultures want to be free to what is right — and sometimes, that leads to an inevitable feud.

Lasting for 46 generations means the Hoshi culture is working, and the Heat’s dustup last week is hardly an indication that theirs isn’t.

Being free with words and actions centered around winning is crucial for any organization — and is often the difference between short-term victory and sustained greatness.