Recently Tom Meloche launched his latest book, Ceremony—A Profound New Method to Achieve Successful and Sustainable Change at Leaders Connect in Ann Arbor, MI. Tom was a co-founder of a local business that many of you have probably heard of, Menlo Innovations. It is a company featured in the book, Joy, Inc.: How We Built a Workplace People Love, by Richard Sheridan. I asked Tom to share a few quick thoughts and tips from that book with you today. I know you will find them interesting.
– Rob
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Each year thousands of people from hundreds of companies visit Menlo Innovations to see the work environment we created. They hope to take back with them something they can use at their organization. During a visit to Menlo, they are introduced to many of Menlo’s ceremonial practices around planning, designing, communication, and programming computers.
I have interviewed many of people after a visit to Menlo, and although they loved what they saw they usually tell me, “There wasn’t anything we could really do at my larger organization.” This makes me sad, because the methods they saw at Menlo are absolutely available to them in larger corporations—including producing joy.
They saw Menlo’s specific work ceremonies but missed the bigger abstraction. They missed ceremony. Menlo’s work is structured extensively around continually repeating good ceremonies. You can do this too, wherever you work.
A good ceremony is purposeful work. The purpose of the ceremony is known and understood by all participants.
A good ceremony is social ritual. The work is done in a highly-structured ritual form by two or more participants. Participants learn exactly what they are to do next during each ceremony.
A good ceremony is worth the sacrifice. Executing a structured ritual form requires sacrifice. A good ceremony takes seriously the answer of any of the participants saying participating isn’t worth the sacrifice.
A good ceremony provides positive emotional energy. Doing purposeful work together in social ritual naturally generates positive emotional energy in the participants. If they do not experience positive emotional energy, we evolve or abandon the ritual. Positive emotional energy turns business process into activity-reinforcing, emotionally-addicting, self-replicating habit.
Ceremony is the true secret to creating a workplace people love. It turns out humans naturally love ceremony as it provides us with a feeling of belonging, unity, and happiness–it creates joy.
If you have ever visited Menlo and thought, “That was magical, but it will never work here,” don’t give up hope. The answer was in front of you the whole time. Ceremony.
-Tom Meloche
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I apply ceremony to how I teach my classes, interact with my clients, and build my marriage. The concept Tom is teaching goes way beyond just making better corporations. If you want to learn more read his book and visit his website. I have provided both links below!
Have a great Monday!
Dr. Rob
TomMeloche.com
https://www.amazon.com/Ceremony-Profound-Achieving-Successful-Sustainable-ebook/dp/B071X6XV43/