Cleveland, Communication, & Culture
“We've got uniforms and everything. It's really great.”
- Jake Taylor, Major League
For those who aren’t old enough to remember the scene, Jake follows his ex-girlfriend Lynn to what he believes is her house only to find out it’s her fiance's place and he is just in time for a dinner party. He settles into the awkward situation with the fiance's friends when we pick up the scene HERE.
At its core, Major League is a redemption story about a group of cast off baseball players who are assembled by the owner of the Cleveland Indians with the intention of becoming a losing team. At the beginning of the movie, they are simply that...a collection of players who happen to be wearing the same uniform but don’t resemble a team. Jake’s joke shows he understands that uniforms are often a symbol of belonging to a group, but that it takes something more to become a team.
As fate would have it, the group of misfits found a bond stronger than their uniform; something that would turn them from lovable losers into division champions. I would argue that what they “found” was culture.
Culture plays a critical role in high performing teams, and starts with clear and effective communication. Culture is about more than a uniform, a logo, or a location. It extends well beyond that to include understanding and caring about each person as an individual, challenging each person on the team, developing shared missions, and showing gratitude.
Speaking of a group of misfits, I invite you to listen to Episode 5 of Consultant Conversations, where Jason Boaz, Mike Mueller, Todd Smith, and I discuss how to best retain the talent you worked so hard to attract. You can find it on your favorite podcast platforms:
Anchor Breaker Google Podcasts Pocket Casts Radio Public Spotify
We'd also welcome the opportunity to have you submit topics for the four of us to bounce around over a good cup of coffee. I can't wait to hear what you have in mind.
Michael Mueller, PGA
PGA Career Consultant
Proudly Serving the Carolinas Section
919.552.3781