“So first of all, make very clear what the purpose of the team is, or the organization. What is it we're trying to accomplish? What's our big goal? What's our mission? Where are we going? Unless that is stated clearly, the people who are in the team won't be able to line up together. So think of a rowing crew in a rowing boat, and they don't know where they're going and nobody is setting the pace. They're going to have difficulty functioning well, and we have that kind of problem in many teams. People assume that they know what their purpose is, but spelling it out is actually very important, especially in larger organizations, but even in small teams with two or three people, it's a very important thing.” -Michael Palmer

In this episode of Control the Room, I had the pleasure of speaking with Michael Palmer about his experience helping organizations with programs of instruction to help teams of all kinds build the cultures they need to excel.  He shares a thoughtful definition of ‘culture’ and why it’s so important in sustaining healthy teams.  Later, Michael shares some tips to develop better communication practices at work.  We then discuss the importance of ‘purpose’ at work.   Listen in for Michael’s interesting thoughts on the criteria all high performing teams meet.