GCUC Blog

Keep it Clean, People.

By Liz Elam On February 6, 2013 In UncategorizedCoworkingCommunity

The minute a group of people share a space there is going to be the challenge of getting every one to follow the community norms that are necessary to keep that space clean and make sharing it pleasant.  That’s just a politically correct way of saying, “There’s always going to be some jerk who leaves dirty dishes in the community kitchen.”  It is an ongoing theme on Cheezburger.com’s Monday Thru Friday Fails. It has been an issue ever since our ancestors first shifted from hunting and gathering to permanent settlements and it will be an issue on the first space station on Mars.

Ya can’t leave the dishes there, nothing draws a crowd like a crowd.  It seems like one dirty dish is quickly joined by 6 or 7 very good friends. And they invite 2 friends and they invite 2 friends and so on and so on…

And cleaning up after members like some martyr mother isn’t healthy for staff members’ sanity or for the community culture. So what’s a coworking community manager to do?

In our community we’ve found a way to turn the dirty dishes left in the sink issue around.  It’s not perfect.  A perfect kitchen would probably mean you had no members so we’re not shooting for perfection.  Our goal is consistent, cheerful following of community kitchen norms by most members most of the time.

Here’s a few tricks that  we’ve found effective and that can be adapted for whatever your community issue may be.

  1. Rotate Signage – The familiar becomes invisible.  If it seems like people aren’t seeing your sign that is so obviously there, it may be that they’ve seen it so much that they don’t see it anymore.  Our brains developed to notice novel things.  This is how we found food and spotted danger.  That same old sign is known to be neither edible nor dangerous and so safely ignored.  Something new catches the attention again.  We have a variety of signs that we rotate randomly and continue to make new ones.  Keep it fresh.
  2. Be Clear – In our space we are super lucky to have a dishwasher. Yet people still left dirty cups in the sink – even when there were acres of space in the dishwasher!  Or people would put their dirty cup half filled coffee cup in with the once clean dishes.  Arrrgghhhhhh!  Now when the dishwasher is available for dirty dishes there is a big, impossible-to-miss sign orange sign that says, “Hey! I’m available for dirty dishes!”  When it is washing it has a rotating silly pictures of dishes being washed that says, “I’m busy, please wash & put away your dish.”  Members have commented how much they appreciate the clarity.  Confused people don’t follow directions.  Make it crystal clear.
  3. Tell ‘em what To Do  – The human brain doesn’t process the words, “No” or “Don’t”.  When given concrete directions, the brain tends to conjure up the image.  The abstract concept of “Don’t” falls away.  For example, when a child is told “Don’t hit your sister,” the image of hitting his sister forms in the mind.  Then it’s harder to identify what TO do.  In the case of “Don’t leave dishes here”, people can now only see the image of leaving their dishes there.  Instead try, “Wash your cup and put it in the drying rack.”  Wordier? Yes. And more effective with human brain wiring as well as creating a more positive community experience.  When we changed our signs from “Don’t do this, Don’t do that” to “This is what to do” several members commented that it felt more positive and friendly.
  4. Have Fun!  You know those moments when your brain is mush and ya just need a little down time?  Try googling dirty dishes images.  There is some fun silly stuff that will make you laugh out loud and if it is making you laugh it’ll make your members laugh too as they wash their dirty dishes.  Or just make up your won silly stuff.  Like the Community Karma Points Game.  Empty the dishwasher or drying rack score infinity Community Karma Points.  Wash and put your cup in the rack  and the one some one else left +1,000,000 Community points.  Wash and put away your dishes +100 points.  Leave your dish in the sink for some one else  minus 100,0000,0000,000,000 Community Karma Points.
  5. Put a Face On It-When dishes are left in the sink I change the sign to one of me with a spoon hanging from my nose and a silly psychotic expression that says Stop the Insanity! Keep Lydia from losing it! Please put your stuff away instead of throwing it in the sink! The comedy balances the scold and stillgets the point across, it ain’t cool do leave your mess for someone else to clean up.  It puts a face on that someone, makes them a real person.People tend to behave better when they feel like they’re being watched –even when it is just a photograph. Stores use this fact as an anti theft tactic.  They place signage of a face in high theft areas. The face may be smiling and hawking some product, but the brain’s experience is I’m being watched.  Try creating fun, silly signs that include someone looking over the scene.  We have a picture of a 1950’s mom reminding members, “I don’t work here, wash & put away your dishes.”
  6. Reward the Behavior You Want to See – when we’re on a roll with the community following the kitchen norms I throw a little thank you on our community list or put up a sign that says thank you.  When I catch members going beyond I thank them.  This year at our annual awards we awarded two members with “The Kitchen Community Norm Role Model”.  What is awesome is they were both 20 something guys.

Wherever a group of people share a kitchen there will be the issue of dirty dishes in the sink, however as a coworking community manager you have a great deal of influence on how it folds into your community’s culture.  Is it a source of friction and contention or moments of amusement and maybe even a contender for the LOL of the day?  Laughter is not only the best medicine, it is the mortar for community.

Lydia Snider is Social Media Strategist who focuses on the art of utilizing social media to cultivate dynamic, engaged communities both on and offline. http://www.lydiasnider.com/