Corporate Celebration: Play, Purpose, and Profit at Work

Corporate Celebration: Play, Purpose, and Profit at Work, by Terrence E. Deal and M.K. Key, is based on the premise that ceremony and ritual in the workplace can boost spirits, build loyalty, increase quality and, ultimately, improve bottom-line performance. The authors, writers, and consultants on the faculty at Vanderbilt University believe that celebrations create an important sense of community in both good and bad corporate times, and cite diverse examples--such as Quad/Graphics' annual anniversary extravaganzas, and the Philadelphia-region Veterans Administration office's regular observance of staff members' birthdays--to show how they are being used in today's business world. They also look into situations that commonly trigger such events, and examine the seven types generally called upon in response: "cyclical celebrations, recognition ceremonies, celebrations of triumph, rituals of comfort and letting go, succession rites, altruistic celebration, and play." Lastly, they discuss the actual process of planning and implementing rituals in organizations with differing purposes and varying cultures. "Our intent is to provide ideas you can adapt to fit your particular context. The examples we present are to be used as 'sourdough starter' to get your own creative juices flowing," they write, before getting down to the main course. --Howard Rothman