Setting up a room for a meeting
My boss had just finished a great meeting. He had his team of 22 were all sitting around in a semi circle engaged in vigorous discussion and when it was over, people didn't want to stop. But they had to because the big bosses PA arrived to set up for a staff morning tea. She moved all the chairs out to the walls and the tables into the middle of the room before setting down two beautiful cakes in the middle.
Once a month we provide a cake for everyone who's had a birthday in the month.
And as usual the people drift in, take a piece of cake and form small huddles around the table. Some chat in the adjoining kitchen and some take their cake back to their work station. It's all over in half an hour and everyone's back at their work stations.
That small gathering is a successful social moment for our company. But I wonder how much more successful it could be if the tables were positioned at the outside of the room with the people all together in the middle?
Physically everyone would be together, even if they were still conversing in small groups. They would have a greater sense of team without any effort. Probably without realising it.
Donald Jessep taught me to set up every meeting room with one thing in mind; "to focus the energy in the most effective way?" and that means as few objects in the centre as possible. It means containing the energy in a space that brings people together without them feeling a need to move outside the space. I've been experienting with tables, chairs and pot plants around the outside to get the size just right for each group.
It seems that participants in an event where the energy is strong are never conscious of such details, but I do and my boss knows. After a meeting I'm listen for talk about how good the meeting was.
It's so simple but it works, and it makes me look great as a personal assistant. It gets us working as a team.