Keep small cards near the machine with rotating prompts: “What blocker stole an hour today?”, “Which customer surprised you this week?”, “What tiny win deserves louder celebration?” Asking and listening for six minutes uncovers patterns, hidden expertise, and low-cost experiments that move metrics without needing committees or extra budgets.
Set a corkboard by the kettle for quick notes: open questions, skill offers, test volunteers. The physical presence nudges hallway follow-ups. When someone pins “Seeking beta users for the pricing calculator,” coffee becomes a conduit to collaboration, turning chance encounters into planned progress and measurable, repeatable cross-functional momentum.