Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan wasn’t just answering a question this past week in saying, “That’s the beautiful part about our culture, the competition that’s going to be at the forefront of everything we do.”He was also articulating part of this new regime’s philosophy in that answer. Just like when saying if there’s debate between coaches or scouts and himself on a draft pick, “The final decision comes down to me, and I’m going to do what’s best for this place.”Or, earlier this offseason, in talking about signing quarterback Malik Willis, “His character aligns with our culture.”What use is a plan if you can’t articulate it?

That’s been one of the Dolphins varied problems of late. They couldn’t express their a plan, or it sounded wrong in ways that eventually proved it all wrong.Just look at this: The last time the Dolphins rebuilt in the ambitious manner they’re doing now, ownership and the front office said they were tanking while hiring a coach, Brian Flores, who refused to do so. And then Chris Grier mixed even more signals by signing a just-good-enough-to-win veteran quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick.Grier also took a wasted 2019 season to set up an arsenal of draft picks like this current regime did in this first offseason.

So, this rebuild is already a year ahead of that last, failed one. Sullivan isn’t just articulating his plan if you listen closely. He’s acting on it.“We’re going to be a draft and develop team,” Sullivan said.Does it succeed or fail?

Who knows before his first draft, much less his first season? But the Dolphins sound like they’re a pro organization again. And, yes, words matter.

Having command of the message is part of a good leader’s work.Look around town at the teams with the most success. Miami Heat president Pat Riley has two rules for every team employee: No complaining and no gossiping. Those five words offer a glimpse into Riley’s larger ideas on running a championship team.Does any coach mobilize the English language better than Florida Panthers’ Paul Maurice?

From trotting out the sarcastic Will Ferrell line after a playoff loss — “Panic!” — to detonating any tension after laying into players on the bench — “They needed some profanity in their lives” — he offers a daily course in how a strong leader sounds whether winning Stanley Cup titles or losing like this past season.The best leaders in any business, you see, choose words carefully. Film director Clint Eastwood refused to bark out, “Action!” and “Cut” on his sets, because it startled horses on his Western films — and actors in some way, too, he felt.There are a hundred ways up the mountain for sports teams, but they all start with a strong leader’s direction.

Don Shula repeated the goals the first day of every training camp: Win the division, win home-field for the playoffs and win the Super Bowl. Simple, right? But putting it on the table for everyone to hear gave it weight.Jimmy Johnson’s strength was boiling the complex process of drafting players into five simple thoughts beyond the obvious one of talent: Intelligence, hard work, a playmaker, a gym rat and good character.“You don’t win championships with bums,” Johnson said concerning that last trait.A strong leader’s developed ideas might come out in mumbling fashion, like Bill Belichick’s, “On to Cincinnati,” to express moving forward after a loss.

It might be Bill Parcells expressing a relevant thought this week about young players, “If they don’t bite as puppies, they probably don’t bite.”We’ll see where this goes with the Dolphins new regime. It’s still early. But across these opening few months you’re haven’t seen or heard anything that raises red flags of concern.There’s been no coach Mike McDaniel calling his players, “teammates,” in expressing his kumbaya culture, There’s been no quarterback Tua Tagovailoa signing a massive contract and immaturely telling fans, “Show me the money!”There’s certainly been nothing like Grier saying he didn’t consider injury history in picking players or saying the media worried more about the offensive line problems than he did.

Beyond that, did Grier ever lay out his plan for winning football? Did he ever, for instance, explain the big switch from an organization built around drafts to one that traded draft picks for big-money players?Sullivan has been repetitively clear of his philosophy: His way is to draft and develop players. He’s done that first step of articulating his plan. This upcoming draft is the next step, the one where these broad, philosophical brush strokes about competition and character are brought to life with young players.____