CBS has a new show on Sunday evenings called Undercover Boss.\u00a0 The premise is kind of interesting.\u00a0 A company CEO\u00a0 goes into his own company as an entry level employee and learns something about what really goes on in their organizations.\u00a0 I’m sure many of us who work\u00a0 in corporate America wish their CEO had a similar taste.<\/p>\n
Not surprisingly, often the undercover executive meets some fascinating people with underdeveloped potential or pressing personal problems on their journey.\u00a0 And this is where the program runs off the rails.\u00a0 At the end of the show the CEO revels himself and provides feedback to those he’s worked with.\u00a0 Fair enough.\u00a0 But then he starts giving away perks.<\/p>\n
Waitresses become marketing managers, truck drivers get their own store franchise, and overworked employees get sent on exotic fully paid vacations.<\/p>\n
That’s all well and good for the folks involved.\u00a0 Most of them seem like they are deserving.\u00a0 But the chances that the CEO randomly encountered just the rare few deserving employees in his company is negligible.\u00a0 These are a few of among thousands of hard working deserving folks working for them.\u00a0 But these few are getting rewarded, and their colleagues are not.<\/p>\n
In reality, they are simply being rewarded because they are met the CEO and made an impression.\u00a0 If the CEO actually met every one of his employees and gave them an opportunity to make a similar impression, would he reward all of them?\u00a0 I doubt it.\u00a0 It simply wouldn’t be practical, much less a financially sound decision.<\/p>\n
So in the end, while these folks are not undeserving, they are being rewarded simply because they made a connection with the big boss.\u00a0 The program, which purports to bust the executive stereotype of a detached and uncaring tyrant, winds up bolstering a different stereotype, that getting ahead is all about who you know.<\/p>\n
Maybe it’s entertaining, but it’s not good business, and it’s not terribly encouraging to the average worker.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CBS has a new show on Sunday evenings called Undercover Boss.\u00a0 The premise is kind of interesting.\u00a0 A company CEO\u00a0<\/p>\n