What Does Pie Mean?

The temperature is supposed to hit a hundred degrees today. That means that businesses all over the world are trying to come up with ways to get employees engaged by using summertime themes. The current one right now is raising money for a good cause by telling the employees that they can donate money by picking someone in management to get a pie in the face. Sounds simple enough, you start out by sending an email and telling everyone in management that they have the wonderful opportunity to help by being willing to take a whip cream pie to the face. Then you just slip in there that if they do not want to participate, that can just reply to the email stating that they do not want to do it. Then you put a flyer up telling everyone to donate to the person in management that they want to see get a pie in the face. In the end, the management who raises the most money is the “winner” and gets a pie in the face. Everything sounds so simple; everyone is a winner!  A good cause gets some donations, employees interact with management, and everyone gets to laugh. So why doesn’t it always work? This is what I have seen so far, two types of management get all the money. The first type is the fun, willing person. Most people like them and everyone knows that they are going to embrace the situation and be an awesome team player. The second is trickier, they are the ones that most people don’t like. They are the ones that people just want to see be embarrassed and get what they deserve. So how do you know which one you are? This is what I have observed over the last week. The good ones are laughing and encouraging everyone. They are daring people to give more money. They are willing to take ten pies if it means everyone is engaged. The bad ones, they want to know who gave the money. They are the ones who are complaining about the whole thing. They are the ones who are making the comments about how everyone hates them and that is why they are getting the donations. The funny part is that they are right. Most people know that they haven’t done a good job with their people. They thought they could hide it or make excuses, but now they are seeing the proof. Now, they know that everyone knows they haven’t been making the effort that they should have been giving. So, the real question becomes, how can you take this situation and make it a team building exercise? I keep mentioning it, the busy time is almost here. So how can you take this situation and make it a launching pad for everything that is going to happen during the crazy times? I want to be able to take this situation and turn it into a motivating experience for everyone. But, how? I’ve mentioned over the last few weeks that I want the other shifts to wish they could have taken notes on how we handled certain things. This might very well be the first opportunity. So here is my solution for everyone. The official winners get the official pies to the face. After that is over, someone has extra whip cream, lots of extra whip cream. Then find a way to declare that the management team is in it together and everyone gets whip cream all over them. I want lots of cans of whip cream and every employee gets a chance to spray some on management. I want everyone to laugh and have fun. So, to everyone out there who is going to get roped into doing something for your people, embrace it! Take this opportunity to encourage everyone and motivate them. To the ones who haven’t been taking are of business, start doing it because it’s going to be a long summer.