I don’t agree with everything in this article (I’m admittedly unsure of why everyone seems to think it’s “important” for work environments to be “fun”–we get paid to work for a reason), but I find the overall topic and some of the points made in this article to be important–not to mention severely lacking attention. This is so not only in the business world for employers, but also for job candidates who can end up in poor work environments for themselves by not getting a sense of what the culture is before accepting a job (been there, done that).
The gems:
Any time there’s a potential for people to feel excluded for how they think or feel, the organization has entered cult territory. And ultimately that will be bad for business. The rigidity of cult behavior stifles innovation, thereby endangering the company’s future.
Ask yourself: Do employees believe in the company’s vision because they understand and agree with it or because that’s what they’re supposed to do? Does the company encourage them to have personal lives? Most importantly, does it encourage the individuality and non-conformism that drive breakthroughs?
a great culture…is equally about healthy debate – in which people can debate certain values and norms and differ in their opinions. When a culture ceases to embrace diversity and dissent, it becomes a cult.
