One of the easiest and most effective ways to inject some energy into a group or organization is to surprise them by mixing it up.
Do you usually hold one-hour meetings with your members? Make the next meeting 15 minutes.
Do you have conference calls with your employees every Tuesday? Cancel them for a month and do ten-minute one-on-one calls with each person.
Do you serve bagels at staff meetings? Bring an electric skittle and have the boss cook pancakes next time.
Coaches, let your team captain run the practice next week.
Editors of school newspapers, give a full page to the cartoonist for one issue. Give it to someone else for the following issue.
Let the tuba player choose and arrange the marching band’s next song.
Make the next PTA meeting a potluck dinner hosted at one member’s house.
“We’ve always done it this way” doesn’t encourage looking for a better way. When routine has led to a rut, you don’t need monumental or expensive changes to inject some energy and creativity back into the group. Every now and then, just mix it up.