I used to think that having potlucks were just for fun yet kind of a a waste of time. But all that changed once I started working at the city with a large group. Today I see a potluck as a chance to build the team in our section.
We as a team decide what the theme will be, and we always chose the food by its ethnic origin, trying to represent the backgrounds of the team members. Then each person signs up for what dish they'd like to bring. Last time, it was challenging because we chose Korean food, and I signed up to make Pad Thai (a type of noodles in peanut sauce) for the first time. Making the dish helped me to learn something about a coworker's culture, which helped me to understand and appreciate her.
In addition to the food, each person is asked to bring questions or concerns regarding our section. Whether we talk about work or anything else, as we gather together to eat, we bond. Communication flows between us and the team is reinforced. When the team is stronger, we work better together. I think that's really what the potluck is about.
No comments:
Post a Comment