My son’s school follows a peculiar norm when it comes to kids learning how to collaborate. In a group of 4-5 kids who are given a problem to solve, the one who finishes the first and gets it right is obligated to help the ones who are still struggling with it. Now, it does start with questions like why me, I’ve done my job etc. but soon translates into creating a reinforcing loop of excellence that gradually improves the capability of all students in the class.
I was reminded of this norm yesterday as I read an article about a major IT company introducing an engagement bonus. This incentive replaces the existing “performance bonus” that is based on individual performance. While the concept may not be completely new, its application at a scale of ~100k employees definitely piques interest.
This is a potential antithesis to a pervasive management philosophy that largely rewards individual performance. This by the way is a beautiful system that drives towards ‘self- excellence’ at its best and well, ‘self over the system mindset’ in its worst avatar.
This initiative on building collaboration takes greater importance given the complexity involved in creating newer reward oriented synapses that struggle against the ingrained ones like competing for the scarce resources and opportunities, hoarding knowledge, fear of losing power or plain simple not have enough time to collaborate or help a colleague.
On the other hand, not wanting to be the one that deprives your peers of the bonus they deserve can be motivator. It does spread the responsibility of coaching peers across the team and yet makes the manager’s job more complex. S/he has to keep ears close to the ground to ensure fairness in evaluation.
One may argue that such a system may foster underperformance, which could be the case, unless there is adequate transparency in the process to retain its social influence.
This will definitely call for a hard look at the behaviours and competencies that are recognized and surface those that encourage open discussion, constructive conflict, empathy, accountability and receptivity.
There is no one way and both competition and cooperation have their own place in organizations. I guess that’s what makes us the social beings we are.
I reflect on the school’s philosophy and wonder how 5 year old kids do it so intuitively, but again, what would the kids know?
Note: This write-up presents a personal point of view based on the information available in the news item and does not intend to judge any initiative by any organization.
