Amazon.com Review
Corporate Celebration: Play, Purpose, and Profit at Work, by Terrence E. Deal and M.K. Key, is based on the premise that ceremony and ritual in the workplace can boost spirits, build loyalty, increase quality and, ultimately, improve bottom-line performance. The authors, writers, and consultants on the faculty at Vanderbilt University believe that celebrations create an important sense of community in both good and bad corporate times, and cite diverse examples--such as Quad/Graphics' annual anniversary extravaganzas, and the Philadelphia-region Veterans Administration office's regular observance of staff members' birthdays--to show how they are being used in today's business world. They also look into situations that commonly trigger such events, and examine the seven types generally called upon in response: "cyclical celebrations, recognition ceremonies, celebrations of triumph, rituals of comfort and letting go, succession rites, altruistic celebration, and play." Lastly, they discuss the actual process of planning and implementing rituals in organizations with differing purposes and varying cultures. "Our intent is to provide ideas you can adapt to fit your particular context. The examples we present are to be used as 'sourdough starter' to get your own creative juices flowing," they write, before getting down to the main course.
--Howard Rothman
From Publishers Weekly
At a time when downsizing, "leaner and meaner" and no-frills are the order of the day, the authors argue that companies should periodically celebrate both their successes and their employees. Deal (Corporate Cultures) and psychologist Key maintain that these celebrationsAwhether acknowledging someone's birthday or a corporate anniversaryAdraw employees together and forge community in the workplace. Even coming together to grieveAwhen a product or mission failsAis good for everyone involved, they stress. Their position would have been more compelling had they conducted more firsthand interviews with employers who observe celebrations. Instead, they rely almost exclusively on excerpts from other people's books and oft-told tales about Southwest Airlines and Wal-Mart. Still, Deal and Key list countless reasons to celebrate, tell how to do it and even include a chapter on "recipes for failure"Athings to avoid if you want to make the celebration a success. The book will be useful to the corporate people charged with planning events.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
