A grape can be defined as a cluster of fruit or flowers. Since I like fresh green grapes, it doesn’t matter which grape I pick first from the cluster, because each one tastes the same to me. A cluster, at your place of work, in a business sense, is the organization, your department or section, or your team. Our work clusters are our sense of community, as in fruit, fruited, fruity.

Fruit of the Loom is a well known men’s underwear company. Fruited is an android puzzle game, which is known to be an addictively fun game of matching fruit. Fruity Loops Studio (now known as FL Studio) is an open architecture music studio PC application.  These companies seem to be thriving because of their sense of community and the cluster of teams that support their brand.

Within each cluster of people you work with, what place do you hold…outside looking in…or inside working out?  Grape clusters are not symmetrical.  Each outside grape does not hold the same place as another outside grape even though nourishment comes from the same vine.  Many outside grapes protrude out because the cluster is not symmetrical.  The question becomes how are you the same as another employee within your work cluster?  How are you different?  What can you learn from someone who is different than you, within your work cluster?  What binds you to feel valued within your cluster?  How do you maintain that feeling within the cluster?

Business analogies abound with the words:  Fruit, Fruited, Fruity.     During the last few days of April, have a great career week!

“Jo Ann” M. Radja, Career Management Coach and Change Agent

Note:  I attended a business Networking Event in Chicago, last Fall.  The following book was distributed as  gift.    Small Town Rules, How Big Brands and Small Businesses Can Prosper in a Connected Economy. Barry J. Moltz and Becky McCray. Copyright 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc., Published buy QUE, Indianapolis, Indiana.