The Power of Bagels to Build Trust: The Greta Effect
Image by Drazen Zigic on Freepik
Greta was the department head of a small communications team of five. I’m not sure when *Bagel Thursday* started, but I knew one thing: I wanted in. Who doesn’t love bagels and a chance to bond with coworkers? Working in a different department, it became my way to get to know the comms team better—and for them to get to know me.
Eventually, I got an invite to this Thursday morning ritual in Greta’s office. At first, it was awkward for me, sitting there while everyone else seemed so comfortable. But not for Greta or her team. They gathered around her small conference table, chatting about their weekends, TV shows, and family life. The TV on the wall provided background noise, cycling through local and national news, but no one was really paying attention. Greta would sometimes be at her desk, working, but always chiming in with her take on the conversation. Work wasn’t the topic of the day (unless Greta complained about having to leave the “party” for a meeting).
What struck me was how natural it all felt—just bagels and cream cheese, but there was something deeper going on. The team clearly trusted one another. I later learned that everyone rotated buying the bagels and cream cheese each week—myself included when I became a regular. I didn’t mind. What did bother me, though, was when I had to miss Bagel Thursday.
The Greta Effect
Building trust in a team can be as simple as sharing a bagel, but it’s also easy to mess up or overlook. Take Walter’s workplace as an example—we’ve talked about him before. He works for a national bank on a team with a very low-trust environment. Recently, Walter and his colleagues were told to start coming into the office three days a week, and no one was happy about it.
Then came an email from Andy, Walter’s manager’s boss. He said he’d be bringing bagels and cream cheese for the team. Pre-COVID, an email like this would’ve also included where to find the bagels, but not this time. Walter had no idea where the bagels were—and ended up missing out.
But the real issue wasn’t just Walter’s missed breakfast. It was a missed opportunity. Andy works in a low-trust environment, and he knows it. Instead of just leaving bagels out somewhere, he could’ve used the Greta effect. He could’ve put the bagels in his office, inviting people to grab one. Even in a low-trust environment, someone would’ve popped in. Even if they didn’t want to chat, Andy could’ve started a little small talk—better than no talk at all. Imagine if he did that every week. Slowly but surely, he’d start building trust.
Instead, Andy let an easy opportunity slip by.
Don’t Miss Your Opportunities
Building trust doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, it’s as simple as offering a bagel and starting a conversation. Don’t let those easy opportunities pass you by—they could make all the difference in creating a better, more connected team.