How does brewing, steeping, sniffing, and tasting coffee and tea help your team feel more connected?
There is more “science” behind this than you may think:
1 – “The Sharing Effect”
Researchers at the University of Chicago found that people who share the same food or drink will exhibit 75% higher levels of trust and will reach a compromise 2X faster than people who eat different foods with each other. Why? We have an evolutionary disposition to trust those who demonstrate (even with the simple act of drinking) they are “like” us.
2 – Common Ground
Besides the obvious coffee pun, “common ground” is the currency of relationships. By having a shared experience—in this case a coffee and tea tasting—you learn more about your teammates. Maybe you discover that you grew up drinking the same tea. Perhaps a teammate shares a method they use for brewing coffee that you have never heard of. Or maybe you both taste the same exact flavors in the coffee during the experience. By participating in this experience together you learn about each other. This then creates a bond that transcends the coffee experience.
3 – Simple Questions Build Trust
Researchers at Harvard Business School find that asking questions of any form is the most effective way to establish trust. The best way to start building trust is to ask short, simple questions. “How do you brew your coffee or tea at home?” A short, simple question that has a short, simple answer. This is one of many questions asked during your experience. Answering these types of questions and others during your weekly meetings will help build trust in your team.
4 – Shared Experiences Help Teams Bond
Another set of researchers at University of Chicago quantified the intuit point that we ‘prefer’ to share experiences with others. Teammates will place substantially more value on ‘shared’ coffee — even when they are not in the same place — than on simply drinking the cup on their own. When people go through a shared experience together, they bond. Think of the person you were in training together with. They were probably your first friend at work. That’s because you shared the experience of being new and learning together. This same thing happens with your entire team by enjoying a Teamraderie experience together.
So, what are you waiting for? Book a Coffee and Tea Tasting Jumpstart for your Team today.
Teamraderie Experiences can be explored and booked online via Teamraderie experience finder. If you are seeking a personalized recommendation, reach out to us at team@teamraderie.com.