Ireland

Ireland

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Go Team Go!

The company I work for must spend thousands sending their management people to "Management seminars", learning things like 'power words" to motivate the troops, and coming up with phrases like "The (insert company name here) Family"
We were the "Family" for the last few years. Every email sent from our office had some reference to our "Family'. I guess if we're called family, that alone will encourage us to work harder, longer hours, for free if need be, because we are a "Family."
Yeah, like that's gonna work.
A while back when my Father in law passed away, I was working on one of the "Family" boats. I called our office, told them the news and expected them to take care of business to fly me home, pronto. My "Family" told me to go online and check out the Jet Blue web sites, "They're pretty cheap sometimes', I was told.
A few days later I contacted the company CEO and told him my thoughts on how my "Company Family", treated me concerning my real Family emergency.
Anyway, time has gone by and I've noticed a new trend in our company emails. We're not a "Family" anymore, but now we're a "Team."
Excuse me while I go find a bucket because I think I'm gonna be sick!
Every email has a "Team" reference to it. Every email that is sent to more than one person, has the greeting, "Team."
I honestly get nauseated looking at this stuff.
A few months ago the hot power word was "drill down." We had to drill down on that problem, or drill down till we get an answer.
I googled "power words" and there is actually a list of these supposedly motivational words. I expect to see them all sooner or later in our company emails.
Power words and slick little catch phrases don't do it for me. If you treat your employees fair, be honest with them and treat them with respect, it's amazing what the out come will be.
Calling us a team, doesn't make it so.

1 comment:

beth said...

I admit it...you made me laugh, as this was something my hubby could have written about many of his previous jobs....and yes, often I needed to pass him the bucket and some pepto :)