I continue to ruminate on the whole concept of rewards and the world view surrounding them is such a rich topic to me in examining our society’s three steps forward two steps back transition from a hierarchical to a more egalitarian orientation. As I see it, you reward someone for doing something you want them to do (or think they should do) that you are not confident that they will do based on their own ethical compass and sense of self-direction. You create an incentive (or even a bribe) that you feel will trump their own inner guidance. I see it as part of a paradigm of power-over control rather than power-with partnership.

Continue reading →