I’ve coached leaders long enough to spot the real reason teams drift. It isn’t always strategy, workload, or even burnout. It’s the way people talk to themselves—and then to each other. If the inner voice is harsh, the team voice turns cold. That’s when collaboration dies, and results follow. “Disconnected teams, communication breakdowns. Does that sound familiar?” Here’s my stance: Culture is a conversation before it’s a plan. If you want trust, alignment, and execution, you have to change the talk.