A measurement of the effectiveness of any team.

Determined by the difference in time everyone agrees to go out to lunch and the time lunch actually commences.

In most office jobs in which you have a flexible lunch time, it can be extremely difficult for a group of people to decide what they want for lunch and to set aside their duties to actually go to lunch.

There are a number of obstacles a team must avoid in order to increase thier Lunch Factor:

1. Team must be able to quickly decide on a place to eat that will meet everyone's schedule and tastes.
    This is perhaps the most subjective decision a team must come to, and it shows how quick a group of people are able to build consensus.

2. Individual members of the team must avoid statements such "Give me five minutes" or "I just need to finish this one thing".
    Your work should now take second priority to the team's goal of getting to lunch.

3. Never answer the phone after lunch plans are made.

4. Individual members of the team should avoid making the entire team wait while they use the restroom.

5. Decisions about carpooling should be made quickly. Critical time is often lost at a point so close to the goal.


A team that is able to quickly come to a consensus, and achieve objectives without delay is both a effective team and a team with a high lunch factor (meaning less time).

Arguably, this is a far more concrete method for assembling a team than IQ, EQ or Temperament methods.
Said to have originated within the walls of IBM

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