The Coffee Chat

How a caffeine-fuelled conversation can lead to good things

Coffee chats in the workplace provide us with the opportunity to engage in unstructured, informal conversation. Source: Adobe Stock

“Coffee is a language in itself” — Jackie Chan

Love it or hate it, you cannot deny that coffee is a big part of work culture.

An estimated 65% of workers in the UK drink coffee, with the average worker partaking in about three cups a day.

Besides the obvious chemical benefits that a cup of coffee can have on our productivity, mood, and short-term energy levels, there is an undisputed, timeless function to the beverage made from roasted beans.

Enter: The Coffee Chat.

A simple proposition to have a cup of coffee (or tea, or any other beverage) with someone, accompanied with some conversation.

Getting to know someone and building a connection with them

‘Hi, I really enjoyed the presentation you gave the other day and found that we have taken similar paths in our careers. I would love to get a coffee and get to know you more.’

Coffee chats are great for carving out a dedicated time and space to get to know someone.

You are creating the environment for two people, who may not know each other well to begin with, to connect on a deeper level and to discuss a range of topics, in a more personal way. This is a different dynamic to a team meeting or working group setting.

Although an introductory chat is meant to be relaxed and casual, you still want to have some structure or a loose agenda, to help guide your conversation and to help you achieve what you want out of the interaction.

Here’s a rough approach that has been useful for me:

• Say hello, and introduce yourself (background, what you’re working on, what you enjoy in terms of your current role). Let them introduce themselves. Find out what motivates them — this may be useful information later on.
• Break the ice through specific topics where there is a common interest or connection: ‘I noticed you also spent a few years at X organisation before moving to Y firm! I also spent some time in the same department at X. Do you happen to know Gary…?’
• Thank them for their time and briefly explain what you want to get out of the conversation: ‘Thanks for taking the time to grab coffee! I wanted to understand your role and how that fits in with the wider organisation…’
• Let them speak — pay attention to what they’re saying and jot down key notes if you want.
• Ask them if there is anything they need from you, and offer up information or key contacts that may be useful to what they’re working on or interested in.
• At the end of the conversation, thank them again. Propose to stay connected.

Don’t overlook the importance of being able to speak informally and casually in the workplace — this can go a long way to build rapport with colleagues. Coffee chats provide the platform for us to do this.

Informal information gathering

‘Hey, let’s get a coffee! I’d love to get your thoughts about the project plan that was discussed last week.’

An invitation to a coffee chat is a great way to discuss something in a more informal, ‘off-the-record’ manner with colleagues.

For instance, if you wanted some candid feedback on a piece of work, or an approach to a presentation, that you’re not comfortable discussing with a wider group (perhaps your manager is in that group).

The key here is to ease into the conversation and keep the mood relaxed.

You want the person to feel comfortable enough to share their honest thoughts, instead of giving you the sugarcoated version.

Here’s a couple of workplace scenarios where it might be useful to invoke the ‘info-gathering coffee’:

• You want to get a second opinion about something before formally proposing it via the usual channels, or to management.
• You want to get some feedback on your performance (from your manager or others) before the official performance reviews so you can course-correct.
• You are unsure of the company culture and how ‘things are done’ at your organisation and want a sanity check.

Culture and network building

I’ve worked at three different companies so far. I’ve probably had more than 200 coffees to date, with various types of people: colleagues at the same level, interns, managers, senior management, externals, vendors, clients, and many more.

I’ve observed that a strong coffee chat culture can impact the organisation in many positive ways.

When I see very junior colleagues (such as graduates) having coffees with senior members of staff (managing directors, or heads of teams), it reflects well on management and shows their willingness to spend time with the employees.

It also shows that network building is an important facet of career development and that building relationships across the ranks is appreciated at the company.

This is usually a good sign of a ‘flatter’, more open, and collaborative culture.

More conversations lead to more information sharing and more innovation.

When the coffee flows, so do the ideas.