On a recent Monday, the power went out in our whole neighborhood. Inside Kiln Park City, my home coworking space, you heard a collective “Noooo” as everyone’s work came to a screeching halt.
My first thought was, “Oh, I bet the team’s stress level just went through the roof.”
What happened next, however, was a masterclass in working with what you’ve got.
Kristin, Katie and Steph not only handled the situation like pros, they managed to turn it into something unforgettable. I switched over to my phone’s hotspot to finish what I was working on, then wandered out to the common area.
By the time I got there, this amazing team had brought out snacks, drinks, little electric candles you could take back to your desk, and placed the candles all around, including in the restrooms. Lots of members were in the cafe space wandering around, chatting, laughing, wondering what happened and how long it might take to get power back.
Somehow, these three managed to create a community event, with zero notice, on the fly, during a high stress situation, that brought us all closer together and demonstrated their level of commitment to providing an elevated experience.
The power was out less than an hour so we were all able to get back to work pretty quickly, but I want to publicly shout out these superstars and dear friends, and to encourage you to plan ahead for the things you can’t plan for.
Who are you when the power goes out in your space?
Could you turn a stressful situation into a community building event?
As the saying goes, Don’t waste a good crisis.