When I trained in Princeton erg scores were very important. So was how much you weighed. So was how many kilomètres you rowed. Training there was all about numbers. And I hated it. The culture was cutthroat and fear driven. If you didn’t have the numbers you weren’t going to get a shot. The coach didn’t care about the fact that I was an older athlete with chronic back issues. He only cared if I could pull a number and hit the ks.
Some companies have cultures like this as well. Where what is measured drives the work dynamic and the reward system. How people treat each other and customers stems from what they are measured on and how those measurements are reinforced. Hitting a number is rewarded. Being a good guy is not. And doing whatever it takes to get there is overlooked if you hit the end goal.
It is hard to combat cultures like this if you want to follow best practices or enjoy your job. You experience negative situations regularly that cause you to hate your job and the people around you.
There are two choices. Change the culture. Or find a better one. How do you do this? Look at what is being measured. And either shift what’s being measured to something else or find people who are already measuring the thing that you find valuable. How are people rewarded for doing a good job? What do people find most rewarding outside of money and external recognition. What was their proudest moment? These will clue you in yo the type of culture there and whether it’s a place you want to be a part of.
The first choice is way harder than the second. Most cultures that reinforce bad behavior stay unchanged. And good people leave to go elsewhere.
We measure so many things in our lives, our work, and our relationships. It’s important to align what matters to you with what is being measured.
