“My wife wanted fresh eggs.” That’s what inspired Mr. Pond to purchase 11 baby chicks and build a bungalow for the little birds to hang out behind his house.
That’s a cute, little house for those chickens, right? It looks like a playhouse or fort for the kids. So, you would not have a problem living next door, would you? You would be OK with the noise, sights…and smells that accompany chickens…right?!
Ground Rules. As I chuckled at the report, I couldn’t help but think back to the times our project teams were working on site…at the Customer’s office. We would often work late – well past the dinner hour and after the Clients had left the office. Many times we would eat a quick dinner in the office. Pile into the conference room and grab a bite of pizza or take-out Chinese or a sub sandwich covered in onions and garlic.
We weren’t complete slobs, but we did not always do the best job of cleaning up after dinner. To complicate things, the evening cleaning crew may have already performed their duties and left before our food arrived. So, that leftover box of greasy pizza slept in the trash can overnight. I’ll admit: the BBQ plate or Chinese takeout that smells so good at 9:00 at night DOES NOT smell so good 12 hours later!
Your team needs to establish Ground Rules, especially if you are working at the Customer’s offices. What to wear, when to arrive, when to leave, what to EAT, what facilities and equipment you can use… what you should NOT use, even where to park. This is just a quick list.
Mr. Pond had a simple question: “Can we raise chickens?” Your team needs to think through those Ground Rules, too!