An interesting debate emerged on the internet this week when pro football player James Harrison posted on Instagram that his children’s participation trophies will be returned and his family will only accept awards earned for accomplishment. Super Bowl-winning quarterback and all-around good dude Kurt Warner offered his support on Twitter, and a variety of other people voiced opinions as well. While it’s up to each parent to determine how to deal with children’s accomplishments and how to encourage athletic enjoyment, there is an important lesson English Champions can learn from this discussion. And though children’s recognition of it may occur at different ages, it is a lesson everyone needs to grasp and, I contend, as soon as possible.
We live in a world of productivity. One has to produce something of value in order to be rewarded.
The team needs to produce points on the scoreboard in order to win the trophy. The worker needs to produce good work in order to earn a promotion. The student needs to produce quality writing in order to receive a high grade on an essay.
Many people think we live in a meritocracy, where we earn success by way of achievement. But that word, “merit,” is not quite specific enough, as it can lead to fuzzy definitions of what is “deserved” and how effort and investment qualify as sufficient for reward. But I believe productivity more clearly depicts the way our culture functions.
It sounds disheartening to say, but effort does not lead to rewards. Effort leads to improvement and increased productivity, which will, ideally, at some point in time, lead to rewards. To illustrate the unfortunate reality of this premise, consider this English class example. One student doesn’t prepare at all for an upcoming writing assignment. He decides to crank out the essay the night before and doesn’t even bother writing a revised draft. He hands it in as is. The teacher reads his work and sees that his argument is excellent, his organization is coherent, and his mechanics are perfect. It is a cleanly written paper with very few changes needed. But let’s consider another student. This student prepares for weeks ahead of time, gathering research, writing multiple drafts, seeking feedback, and working hard at every step. He feels good about his effort and hands in his paper. The teacher reads his work and discovers that his argument is still flimsy, his thoughts seem scattered, and he has committed countless grammatical errors. This paper needs improvement in a variety of areas.
Which of these two students deserves the higher grade—the one who “worked harder” or the one who produced a better paper?
It should be self-evident that the first student should receive a higher score because his finished product was demonstrably better than the second student’s. It is the result that matters. The ability to produce value will receive the reward. The teacher may respect the second student’s effort and commend his character and offer advice for improvement. But that student does not deserve the same reward as the first student, despite “working” much harder.
If you’re like me, you’ve heard students plea for higher grades because they “spent so much time” or “tried their best” on their respective projects. Or, if students are really brazen, you might have heard, “I’m paying money for this class, so I deserve to pass with a decent grade.” These are students ignoring the importance of productivity. It’s not enough just to show up. It’s often not enough just to try hard. In the words of Yoda, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” I can try as hard as I want to be an NBA player, but that doesn’t mean I deserve a million-dollar contract with my hometown Phoenix Suns. Those contracts go to players who can produce the best. I can’t do what they do.
While trying their best (and in the case of Mr. Harrison’s kids, “participating”) is perhaps the most important quality we can instill in young people, encouragement is the ultimate reward we can offer. Trophies are reserved for those who go further, accomplish more, produce better.
If you’re a student preparing to begin the new school year, keep in mind that everyone wants you to succeed and we are all here to help you in whatever way you need. But high grades and other forms of recognition are not guaranteed. Produce good work and those rewards will take care of themselves.
We live in a world of productivity. One has to produce something of value in order to be rewarded.
The team needs to produce points on the scoreboard in order to win the trophy. The worker needs to produce good work in order to earn a promotion. The student needs to produce quality writing in order to receive a high grade on an essay.
Many people think we live in a meritocracy, where we earn success by way of achievement. But that word, “merit,” is not quite specific enough, as it can lead to fuzzy definitions of what is “deserved” and how effort and investment qualify as sufficient for reward. But I believe productivity more clearly depicts the way our culture functions.
It sounds disheartening to say, but effort does not lead to rewards. Effort leads to improvement and increased productivity, which will, ideally, at some point in time, lead to rewards. To illustrate the unfortunate reality of this premise, consider this English class example. One student doesn’t prepare at all for an upcoming writing assignment. He decides to crank out the essay the night before and doesn’t even bother writing a revised draft. He hands it in as is. The teacher reads his work and sees that his argument is excellent, his organization is coherent, and his mechanics are perfect. It is a cleanly written paper with very few changes needed. But let’s consider another student. This student prepares for weeks ahead of time, gathering research, writing multiple drafts, seeking feedback, and working hard at every step. He feels good about his effort and hands in his paper. The teacher reads his work and discovers that his argument is still flimsy, his thoughts seem scattered, and he has committed countless grammatical errors. This paper needs improvement in a variety of areas.
Which of these two students deserves the higher grade—the one who “worked harder” or the one who produced a better paper?
It should be self-evident that the first student should receive a higher score because his finished product was demonstrably better than the second student’s. It is the result that matters. The ability to produce value will receive the reward. The teacher may respect the second student’s effort and commend his character and offer advice for improvement. But that student does not deserve the same reward as the first student, despite “working” much harder.
If you’re like me, you’ve heard students plea for higher grades because they “spent so much time” or “tried their best” on their respective projects. Or, if students are really brazen, you might have heard, “I’m paying money for this class, so I deserve to pass with a decent grade.” These are students ignoring the importance of productivity. It’s not enough just to show up. It’s often not enough just to try hard. In the words of Yoda, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” I can try as hard as I want to be an NBA player, but that doesn’t mean I deserve a million-dollar contract with my hometown Phoenix Suns. Those contracts go to players who can produce the best. I can’t do what they do.
While trying their best (and in the case of Mr. Harrison’s kids, “participating”) is perhaps the most important quality we can instill in young people, encouragement is the ultimate reward we can offer. Trophies are reserved for those who go further, accomplish more, produce better.
If you’re a student preparing to begin the new school year, keep in mind that everyone wants you to succeed and we are all here to help you in whatever way you need. But high grades and other forms of recognition are not guaranteed. Produce good work and those rewards will take care of themselves.