The very best community based enterprise centres are usually described as convivial – friendly, agreeable and welcoming. That is convivial to the people whom the centre has been set up to serve – who need to feel relaxed and at home in the space.<\/p>\n
My favourite local example of this is perhaps the Marjorie and Arnold Ziff Community Centre in Leeds. As you walk in you are faced with a (usually busy) community cafe – full of friendly local faces, from all generations, enjoying food, drink and conversation. The reception desk is a modest affair on your immediate right. This is a venue where the people that the centre serves are likely to feel at home, relaxed and welcomed. It has been designed that way.<\/p>\n
This is in stark contrast to some enterprise centres that are certainly ‘impressive’ but are perhaps not always convivial. Automatic glass doors opening into impressive atriums followed by a walk to a large reception desk situated in front of a wall of frosted glass panels staffed by receptionists in business suits with blue tooth ear pieces and large monitors on their desk tops. Impressive – but not convivial. Not to many local people. As a friend of mine commented, ‘to some people the gap between the entrance and the reception desk might as well be a shark infested ocean…’<\/p>\n
We know <\/strong><\/span>the importance of making enterprise clients feel relaxed and open so that they are comfortable to talk openly and honestly about their ideas – rather than feel that have to put on a show to ‘fit in’.\u00a0\u00a0 Ernesto Sirolli tells the story of a woman who visited him in a university business centre.\u00a0\u00a0 She was like a fish out of water, tongue tied, embarrassed and not at all at ease in her environment.\u00a0 When he arranged to visit her in her kitchen he met a woman transformed – relaxed, in control, articulate and confident in her own home. The description she gave of her enterprise idea was articulate, insightful and honest.<\/p>\n When I am training enterprise coaches I will get them to practice a\u00a0 new coaching skill in a relaxed and informal setting – a garden or patio for example. I will then ask them to use the same skills in a more formal business meeting room. The change in quality is palpable.\u00a0 They feel the difference.<\/p>\n Context matters, architecture matters, power symbols matter.<\/p>\n So when you are deciding where to meet your next enterprise client don’t just choose the most impressive local enterprise centre. Instead help them to choose a setting that they find convivial and welcoming.\u00a0 One that is likely to help you to do great work.<\/p>\n You might find that the ‘impressive enterprise centre’ is better kept for when you want them to practice being out of their comfort zone.<\/p>\n