Sharing Meals

There is science to bonding over a meal. The next time you think eating and making a phone call at the same time will make you more productive than sitting down and grubbing with your teammates, think again.

I’ve certainly been guilty of this choice countless times before. The crew rolls out to eat, and I’ve made the shortsighted decision to spend lunch with my (perceived) strongest road dog, MA (Macbook Air). The justification, of course, is that I’ll be more efficient and effective because I didn’t get into a car. That may have been true in the short-term, but the long view ramifications are undeniable. By choosing this path, I miss out on valuable moments to connect with the people most capable of inspiring me. From cvtips.com:

If you eat and socialize with your co-workers, you’re making a positive statement. You’re also in a position to talk about situations in the workplace. Social interactions are the working processes of any work environment. If they don’t work, neither does the workplace.

Quite simply, breaking bread side by side with your work crew boosts morale.

Studies have shown consistently that raising morale does a lot of good in any workplace. It raises productivity almost instantly, sometimes drastically. Absenteeism disappears, with high morale. Good employers attract the best people. Stress reduces proportionately to improvements in morale.

I always dig a solid study. But if personal experience is more your speed, I’ve got some of that for you as well.

Folks often ask me about the 2004 Red Sox and what it was like to play with that group. Frankly, the most vivid vision that comes to mind is one of a spectacularly delectable steakhouse meal in a private room in Chicago. The aforementioned feast was no isolated incident. Countless nights, after engaging between the lines in a day game, no fewer than 15 members of that team would gather over a few bottles of red and some giant bone in ribeye steaks. The conversations and belly laughter were endless. I can still hear Kevin Millar and Doug Mirabelli (two of the quickest witted individuals alive) going at it across the table. I look to my left; there sits Mark Bellhorn, barely speaking, blinking slowly. To my right, Tim Wakefield is mercilessly wearing out the rookie at the table like the salty vet he is. Varitek, Nixon, JD…these men were brothers. The group became tighter and more engaged every time we shared a meal. There were more food related sessions with that group than any team I’ve ever been on. We fought together, we partied together, we broke bread together, we won together. From nextjump.com:

When it comes to developing teamwork and team bonding, it doesn’t have to be complicated. Since the start of time, food has been a communal activity, where people laugh, joke and bond over a good meal.

In a world in which efficiency is king and precision is valued, it’s easy to lose sight of the logical. Becoming closer with teammates fosters an environment of security. Secure people are more productive. Productivity is clearly a form of efficiency. We have come full circle.

Bon appétit,

Kap