In your next team meeting introduce a fruit box instead of tea and biscuits and see the result. Just try it
I’m sure your aware of the Monday morning syndrome where you have multiple meetings in your office, your department , with your team .It just feels like this meetings are never ending.
Synching through the same faces , rooms but challenging agendas is what a regular weak looks like .The energy levels are flat and people of physically present but mentally drained in the meetings . Some minds wandering somewhere others reflecting the weekend enjoying the weekend memories and some bloating over the challenges ahead for the week . This is the typical scenario in every office on Monday Morning .
A fruit plate full of juicy mangoes fleshy oranges and pieces of circle and succulent watermelons is introduced it’s nothing out of the world but a simple fresh fruit plate. The plate takes its place among the laptops and notepads to become a part of the meeting .
And sure so people start reaching absent mindedly for that one piece of mango or a single grape in the mouth while passing a comment of the sweetness of the grape of the juiciness of the mango and there comes alive the whole room. Laughter and the chatter back and forth signals the element of synchronized communication so essential for an idea or a break through to come in the meeting.
The conversation increases and so does the synchronisation leading to evolution of ideas. The whole team stays engaged leading to brainstorming of unconventional ideas and out of the box solutions. This results in faster actual decision making with the shared responsibility on all team members leading to a aligned solution.
So a plate of fresh fruit triggered a consensus solution enhancing a less transactional atmosphere with the more willing approach making the meeting alive for all the stakeholders .
Yes a bad agenda cannot be fixed by a fresh fruit plate but it delivers a powerful signal the one a collective participation of the people in the room for excellent outcomes. More important it notions that you are valued in the organization and looks forward to your inclusive participation for results.
Put a fruit box in your next meeting and see how It changes the energy , conversation , bonding and the camaraderie of the people in the room.