episode 76 - the word is raclette

In Episode 76 of "The Word is Leadership," a delicious Swiss dish becomes the gateway to profound leadership wisdom. The podcast explores raclette- that communal experience where everyone gathers to melt cheese onto their plates - as more than just a meal, but a powerful metaphor for workplace connection.

I contrast the formal Christmas dinner (meticulously planned, hierarchical, with designated roles) with my family’s more casual, egalitarian boxing day experience of raclette. This comparison illuminates the difference between structured business meetings and informal gatherings where genuine human connection flourishes.

When times get tough, social gatherings are often first to be eliminated, yet, these are precisely the environments where community and discretionary effort thrive. Communities rather than rules and procedures is where you will find the social and moral obligation needed to allow discretionary effort to flourish.

Our humanity becomes our leadership strength.

Think about how the coffee machine or water cooler conversations during workshops often yield more progress than structured sessions because workshops are "Christmas dinners" while coffee breaks are "raclette meals" (spaces where hierarchy dissolves).

True leadership requires both structured and informal interactions in the same way that Christmas Day needs Boxing Day.

The episode concludes with a challenge to every leader: "When did you have your last raclette at work?"