I was looking through the NY Times recently and spotted this article called It's 'Squawk Box Meets Saturday Night Live' - An Upstart Video Site Mixes financial News and Pop Culture, Feb. 2, 2007.
This story in The NY Times is about two people meeting on a blog and creating Wallstrip, "a Web site that mixes stock news and pop culture".
This set me thinking. It's interesting how and where we mock, imitate, adore and even demonise pop culture in organized work places.
Pop culture is mildly accepted but not really allowed in the workplace. Conformity comes first and true individuality is usually questioned. Kinda like MUZAK.
How does this really affect the whole Reward and Recognition process in organizations? In fact, how does this view of imitation vs. individuality affect the investment and building of organized workplaces?
I have always wondered for example, why it is irresistible for executives to parody pop culture videos, movies and TV shows when they leave their podiums and Power Points to address their audiences at "off site" business or sales recognition meetings? Is it the release of "being away on business" that drives them into these states of costume and acceptable custom? They spend a great deal of money on that stuff.
Ever hear of "peer to peer awards"? It's as if equality and inclusion are unusual concepts or specialty items that need to be allowed and suggested to people in order to exist. "Go ahead, name somebody that you feel is an equal and say they have done a good job".
If Wallstrip brings us to a way of connecting peoples' decisions for investment with our entertainment inclinations, what does this really suggest about how our world-wide workplace takes it's shape? How are investments really influenced?
What is it about the way in which we reward and recognize peoples' achievements that helps shape expectations and disappointments for individuals and companies?
Who really does the talking when we hear "great job" but we don't really know where it came from and why?
Sure, results are fundamental, but who can always be certain that their metrics are current and that they are actually measuring the right things?
Enlightened organizations are ready to question what they measure and do so.
- How do company rewards get efficiently and logically budgeted? And, how does all this connect to "investment" and how companies grow?
- What "perks" the interest of decision makers who then provide the "perks" to engage "peak performers"?
In a world where many people have to work more and more just to survive and others have to struggle to find enough work to maintain, who and what focuses our attention on defining achievement?
What's your experience?
Sal
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