How to Lead with Clay Scroggins Does Your Team Have Too Many Rules | Ryan Bradley
Sep 23, 2026
Ryan Bradley, Vice President for Strategic Communications at the University of Alabama, draws on his background in athletics, marketing, and brand strategy to explore healthier team culture. He discusses replacing rigid rules with shared expectations, turning values into daily behaviors, and collaboratively defining norms. The conversation also covers overcommunication, accountability, celebrating overlooked contributions, and building trust through continual iteration.
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Three Values Became A Team Foundation
- Ryan Bradley built his team’s foundation through years of reading, listening sessions, and value-definition exercises.
- His team narrowed its values to innovation, integrity, and collaboration before translating them into daily behaviors.
Trust Grows Through Norms Instead Of Rules
- Rules multiply when leaders stop trusting employees, while norms establish mutual expectations that strengthen trust.
- Remote work made this distinction urgent as organizations chose between rigid control and empowered judgment.
Turn Core Values Into Observable Behaviors
- Translate abstract values into observable behaviors that tell people how to act at work.
- For innovation, Ryan Bradley expects openness to new ideas and continuous improvement, while still allowing healthy debate.