The One With the Most Balls Wins

This is not a bad play on Christmas Tree Ornaments. I was watching a bad game show for children and their misguided parents called Hole In The Wall. When the game ends in a tie, the way to win is to jump through the final "hoop" with as many plastic balls as possible without leaving the game area or being dumped in the pool behind you. It struck me that this game is very similar to what gets rewarded and condemned in business. When you come out on top, the kid with the most balls, you are the hero. The risks are rewarded with praise and opportunity. When the wall sweeps you into the pool, you come out a wet loser. Same game, same risk, huge difference in the reward. Companies continue to let this zero sum game happen with their most highly motivated employees. We forget to give room for risk-taking that leads to high returns and innovation. These folks have to be able to fall down without fear. Unfortunately, HR often leads the charge of wretchid mediocrity by insisting that missteps are evenly met with progressive documentation. The drive to be "fair", because everyone wants it to be fair, stifles the type of risk taking that grows businesses. You can't win big unless you gamble big. You won't gamble big if you fear losing your reputation, livelihood and self-esteem. Now, what does it take for us to quit worrying about the whiners that want it all to be fair and let those with the most balls win?

All truths are easy to understand once the are discovered. The challenge is to discover them. Galileo