Well we all know that. Every company, every sport team, every religion, every social group has leaders. And they show us the right way. They decide what is good and what is wrong. That’s life. You can follow or not. If you follow you are a god person and you have the chance of a reward. If not then you are a bad one and you can forget the reward. Same principle like coaching a dog. If the dog does what you want you reward it with a treat. So that the dog learns who it has to act. Simple conditioning. But some dogs are better and can jump higher then others, but they don’t want to jump through a burning hoop. And so they are „bad“ dogs and get less treats.
A human being has a very simple brain structure as well. We always want to be rewarded. And at work the best reward is money. So a lot of companies pay a bonus. But how to evaluate the performance of an employee? How to judge? Use the leaders always objective facts? Judge they only about our performance. And how can we influence the decision? How can we increase the amount of our bonus? How can we influence that we are rewarded and the amount of the reward?
True story – reality at my office
One day my boss came in our room and said to me and my two colleagues that we should analyze how we can improve the interface between two software components. And we should consider the options A, B, C … So we started and discussed the options. We agreed that option B won’t improve anything. Option C was bullshit, would increase the complexity. So I prepared the presentation. Stupid me. And then we presented the results to our boss. I explained why option B won’t improve anything. And your boss said: „Well I like this option. I want to do it.“ And I explained again, why it won’t improve anything. And my 2 colleagues said: „Ok, why not. Let’s do it“ This was the first time when I was confused. Because it sounded different to that what we discussed 1 hour before in our room. Ok, let’s talk about option C. The bullshit option. And surprise surprise this was the favorite option of our boss and one of my colleagues said: „Well we all know this would be the best option“ … hmm at this moment I wanted to take the laptop and **** … only one hour before his words were totally totally totally different. But I’m a fighter and I explained again all the contras.
It is always the same with my two men, especially with one of them. What we talk in our room doesn’t matter. Sometimes it is funny and sometimes it is really disappointing. What the boss says have to be done. He is the one who knows the right way. There is no need for new opinions, no need for improvement through discussion. I’m a little bit different. If I have an opinion, then you have to convince me with facts. Real facts and not only the fact, that the boss knows all better.
Well, my special colleague got the highest bonus of us this year. I can’t complain, because I got enough and I don’t want to complain. I don’t begrudge it to him. It’s ok, but … kissing the feet of the boss can be helpful. Conditioning of employees. That’s life. If you are a good slave you will get a better reward. Follow the leader, even if he is on the wrong way. After 10 years as a working person in companies with a bonus system, I could tell more stories. I’m good at work and this is a very important fact, so I can not complain about the bonus system. But it is very interesting how easy it can be used to condition people. Like a dog with treats. Money the treats for human beings.
Well, I cannot be bought. I’m not for sale. I know that freedom is not for free. The question is, if we want be rewarded by others or by ourselves. Looking in the mirror in the morning with knowing, that you are not conditioned. A new day with new challenges. With new thoughts. With own thoughts. I’m the dog, that doesn’t jump through a burning hoop. Even if you give me 10000 treats.
PS: By the way there would be other kind of rewards at work, that could be used. Not only money. Some of them are again simple conditioning, but some would improve the employees. Real improvement. Anyway. Oh and I think that different options, different opinions, different facts are very important. We all have only our own view and so it happens very easily that we can not see a very important fact.