Putting lipstick on a pig. How hammock, break-out rooms, and Poke Tuesdays are not the patH to purpose.
By Michael D’AntonioImagine a company, call it Warby Parker, comes on the scene and achieves a significant level of growth and success in a relatively short amount of time.
They continue to grow, become more profitable, extend their brand’s awareness, and enjoy some vibrant press.
Suddenly they become scions with nods of approval and admiration.
Of course, imitation naturally follows. But all too often this imitation is rooted in cosmetic idiosyncrasies instead of a genuine understanding what makes Warby Parker actually work - Its purpose, its fundamentals, its structures, its metrics, its management’s perspectives and its critical choices.
The idiosyncrasies, like the food they serve their employees, the dog walking service they just instituted, or the virtual break-out rooms filled with hammocks and stuffed animals, in and of themselves, are not wrong or ill-advised.
The difference is that for a Warby Parker these cultural touches are manifestations of a specific purpose.
The window dressing and accouterments are fun and colorful but they themselves are not the point.
PREVIOUS |
NEXT ARTICLE
