Healthy organizations and coffee

I was thinking about an email I sent this morning which was about how organizations should work together rather than trying to be the last one standing. That thought led me to thinking about the health of our organization and the little indicators we can look at. As I got my next cup of coffee the correlation struck me.

Almost every Grange I’ve been to has served coffee. The different ways it is served seem to say something about those members. Instant, drip, brewed in a percolator, decaffeinated or regular, all can be seen at a Grange meeting somewhere.

Does instant coffee mean we are looking for efficiency or do we not want to set up the coffee pot? Do we use the percolator because we like the coffee brewed that way or because that is the way we’ve always done it? Do we serve both decaf and regular or just one type?

More importantly, do we offer alternatives? I saw a study this past week that shows young people are not choosing to drink coffee nearly as much as previous generations. Are we offering tea or water or are we prepared to cater to those new members who are not coffee drinkers?

As 2010 comes to a close, I challenge every member to look at the little things, like coffee, and ensure that our Grange is a healthy organization that is meeting the needs and wants of our members and potential members. It is often the little things that make the biggest difference.