企业里无处不在的仪式(下)

这类标准仪式可以演变为公司特有的仪式。

双语精读

Standard rites of this sort can evolve into company-specific ones.

这类标准仪式可以演变为公司特有的仪式。

Amazon has attached a copy of its very first letter to shareholders, from 1997, to every one it has published since as a way of demonstrating that an underlying ethos endures even as the world around it changes.

亚马逊公司在发布的每一封致股东的信中，都附上了来自1997年的第一封致股东的信的副本，以此表明即使周围的世界在变化，公司的根本精神也会坚守不变。

Rituals are also used as a way of building culture and team spirit. The financial industry has a long-established custom of giving "tombstones" out to clients and bankers when a transaction closes.

仪式也被用于建立企业文化和团队精神。金融业有一个由来已久的习俗，即在交易完成时向客户和银行家发放“墓碑”。

The original tombstones were ads in newspapers, so called because they were laid out in a way that resembled gravestone inscriptions.

最初的“墓碑”是报纸上的广告，之所以叫“墓碑”，是因为它们的排版和墓碑铭文很像。

The modern versions are sometimes known as "deal toys". Lucite may not have much intrinsic value but the ritual survives as part-reward, part-commemoration, part-brag.

现代的墓碑有时也被称为“交易玩具”。这种树脂做的墓碑本身可能没有太多价值，但这个仪式既作为奖励，又作为纪念，也作为自夸而存在。

Plenty of firms have less involved celebratory rites, like ringing bells or banging gongs when they hit certain sales milestones.

许多公司的庆祝仪式没有这么复杂，比如当他们达到某个销售额里程碑时，只是敲钟或敲锣。

Even simple rituals can encourage a sense of community and purpose among employees.

即使是简单的仪式也能鼓励员工形成集体意识和使命感。

A paper published in 2021 by Tami Kim of the University of Virginia and her co-authors asked volunteers to participate in a set of physical movements before starting out on a brainstorming exercise.

弗吉尼亚大学的塔米·金和她的合著者在2021年发表了一篇论文，要求志愿者在开始头脑风暴练习之前一起做一套身体动作。

Some looked at each other during this warm-up and others did not. The people who maintained eye contact rated the subsequent brainstorming as more meaningful.

在这个热身过程中，一些人互相看着对方，另一些人则没有。保持眼神交流的人认为随后的头脑风暴更有意义。

But turning everything into a ritual also risks being tiresome. The only thing worse than an unnecessary meeting is an unnecessary meeting with stretching beforehand.

但是把一切都变成一种仪式也有可能令人厌烦。比不必要的会议更糟糕的，只能是在不必要的会议开始之前还要伸展一下身体。

Hosting colleagues at a regular meal and calling it "Fabulous Friday" is going to be most appealing to those who would otherwise be having a "Friendless Friday".

招待同事吃一顿普通晚餐，然后将其称为“美妙的星期五”，这对那些原本会过一个“没朋友的星期五”的人来说才最有吸引力。

And one person's ritual is another person's ordeal. Ms Kim's paper mentions a digital agency that holds regular sessions in which employees share personal stories about moments that changed their lives.

而且一个人的仪式可能是另一个人的折磨。金女士的论文提到了一家数字机构，该机构定期举行分享会，让员工们分享改变他们人生的时刻和个人故事。

This is indeed a ritual, but so is hanging, drawing and quartering. If there is a golden rule of corporate ritual, it is that it should make people feel as if they belong.

这确实是一种仪式，但绞刑、车裂也是一种仪式。如果说公司仪式有什么金科玉律的话，那就是仪式应该让人们感觉他们属于这里。

词汇预习

• financial [高考]

  美[faɪˈnænʃl] | 英[faɪˈnænʃl]

  adj. 金融的；财政的；[非正式]有钱的

• evolve [高考]

  美[iˈvɑːlv] | 英[iˈvɒlv]

  v. (使)逐步形成；(使)逐步演变；进化

• corporate [高考]

  美[ˈkɔːrpərət] | 英[ˈkɔːpərət]

  adj. 法人的；公司的；社团的；共同的；全体的

• transaction [高考]

  美[trænˈzækʃn] | 英[trænˈzækʃn]

  n. 交易；办理；处理；事务

• otherwise [高考]

  美[ˈʌðərwaɪz] | 英[ˈʌðəwaɪz]

  adv. 否则；不同地；在不同方面 adj. 不同的

• agency [高考]

  美[ˈeɪdʒənsi] | 英[ˈeɪdʒənsi]

  n. 代理；代理处；政府机构

• participate [高考]

  美[pɑːrˈtɪsɪpeɪt] | 英[pɑːˈtɪsɪpeɪt]

  vi. 参加；参与 vt. 分享

• tiresome [高考]

  美[ˈtaɪərsəm] | 英[ˈtaɪəsəm]

  adj. 令人厌倦的；讨厌的

• in a way [高考]

  美[ɪn ə weɪ] | 英[ɪn ə weɪ]

  在某种程度上； 从某一点上看

• participate in [高考]

  美[pɑrˈtɪsəˌpet ɪn] | 英[pɑ:ˈtisipeit in]

  参与； 参加

• subsequent [高考]

  美[ˈsʌbsɪkwənt] | 英[ˈsʌbsɪkwənt]

  adj. 随后的；后来的

• turning [高考]

  美[ˈtɜːrnɪŋ] | 英[ˈtɜːnɪŋ]

  n. 旋转；回转；转向

• would [高考]

  美[wʊd , wəd] | 英[wʊd , wəd]

  aux. 将；可能；大概；总会；愿意；will的过去式

• beforehand [四级]

  美[bɪˈfɔːrhænd] | 英[bɪˈfɔːhænd]

  adv. 预先；事先；提前

• intrinsic [四级]

  美[ɪnˈtrɪnzɪk , ɪnˈtrɪnsɪk] | 英[ɪnˈtrɪnzɪk , ɪnˈtrɪnsɪk]

  adj. 内在的；固有的；本质的

• appealing [四级]

  美[əˈpiːlɪŋ] | 英[əˈpiːlɪŋ]

  adj. 引起兴趣的；动人的；恳求的

• involved [四级]

  美[ɪnˈvɑlvd] | 英[ɪnˈvɒlvd]

  adj. 涉及的；牵连的；复杂的；感情投入的；有密切关系的

• ritual [六级]

  美[ˈrɪtʃuəl] | 英[ˈrɪtʃuəl]

  n. 仪式；典礼；宗教仪式；固定程序 adj. 仪式的；老规矩的；惯常的

• ordeal [六级]

  美[ɔːrˈdiːl] | 英[ɔːˈdiːl]

  n. 严酷的考验；痛苦的经验；神裁法

• underlying [专四]

  美[ˌʌndərˈlaɪɪŋ] | 英[ˌʌndəˈlaɪɪŋ]

  adj. 潜在的；隐含的；在下面的；基本的；[经]优先的

• brag [专四]

  美[bræɡ] | 英[bræɡ]

  v. 吹牛；自夸 n. 大话；吹牛的人；傲慢的态度 adj. 一流的；特别好的

• long-established [考研]

  美 | 英

  adj. 多年从事经营的；开办很久的

重点讲解

Standard rites of this sort can evolve into company-specific ones.

这类标准仪式可以演变为公司特有的仪式。

evolve   v.

1. 进化，演化

【例】Fish evolved from prehistoric sea creatures.

鱼是从史前的海洋生物进化而来的。

2. 逐步发展；逐渐演变

【例】The school has evolved its own style of teaching.

学校逐步形成了自己的教学风格。

Amazon has attached a copy of its very first letter to shareholders, from 1997, to every one it has published since as a way of demonstrating that an underlying ethos endures even as the world around it changes.

亚马逊公司在发布的每一封致股东的信中，都附上了来自1997年的第一封致股东的信的副本，以此表明即使周围的世界在变化，公司的根本精神也会坚守不变。

underlying   a.

1. 根本的；潜在的

【例】the underlying causes of her depression      她抑郁的根本原因

2. 表面下的；下层的

【例】the underlying rock formation       地表下的岩石结构

endure    v. 

1. 忍耐；忍受

【例】The pain was almost too great to endure.

痛苦得几乎难以忍受。

2. 持续；持久

【例】friendships which endure over many years      保持多年的友谊

Rituals are also used as a way of building culture and team spirit. The financial industry has a long-established custom of giving “tombstones” out to clients and bankers when a transaction closes.

仪式也被用于建立企业文化和团队精神。金融业有一个由来已久的习俗，即在交易完成时向客户和银行家发放“墓碑”。

lay sth. out 

1. 铺开；摆开

【例】He laid the map out on the table.

他把地图在桌子上展开。

2. 布置；设计

【例】a well-laid-out magazine      设计精美的杂志

3. 清楚地描述、解释

【例】All the terms and conditions are laid out in the contract.

所有的条款与条件在合同中均已清楚地列明。

4. 花钱

【例】I had to lay out a fortune on a new car.

我只好花一大笔钱买了辆新车。

The original tombstones were ads in newspapers, so called because they were laid out in a way that resembled gravestone inscriptions.

最初的“墓碑”是报纸上的广告，之所以叫“墓碑”，是因为它们的排版和墓碑铭文很像。

lay sth. out 

1. 铺开；摆开

【例】He laid the map out on the table.

他把地图在桌子上展开。

2. 布置；设计

【例】a well-laid-out magazine      设计精美的杂志

3. 清楚地描述、解释

【例】All the terms and conditions are laid out in the contract.

所有的条款与条件在合同中均已清楚地列明。

4. 花钱

【例】I had to lay out a fortune on a new car.

我只好花一大笔钱买了辆新车。

The modern versions are sometimes known as “deal toys”. Lucite may not have much intrinsic value but the ritual survives as part-reward, part-commemoration, part-brag.

现代的墓碑有时也被称为“交易玩具”。这种树脂做的墓碑本身可能没有太多价值，但这个仪式既作为奖励，又作为纪念，也作为自夸而存在。

intrinsic   a. 内在的；固有的

【例】the intrinsic value of education      教育的固有价值

【拓展】extrinsic  a. 外在的；外来的

【例】extrinsic factors      外在因素

survive    v.

1. 〔经历事故、战争或疾病后〕活下来；幸存

【例】Only 12 of the 140 passengers survived.

140 名乘客中只有 12 人生还。

2. 从〔困难〕中挺过来，艰难渡过

【例】The company managed to survive the crisis.

公司设法渡过了危机。

3. 仍然存在；保存下来

【例】The main building was demolished, but the library still survives as a museum.

主楼被毁，但图书馆仍留存至今，用作了博物馆。

involved   a. 

1. 参与；作为一部分

【例】Some people tried to stop the fight but I didn't want to get involved.

有人设法阻止打斗，但我不想牵涉进去。

2. 复杂难解的

【例】an involved plot     复杂的情节

3. 耗费很多时间；关注

【例】I was so involved in my book that I didn't hear you knock.

我全神贯注在看书，没听到你敲门。

4. 关系密切

【例】They're not romantically involved.

他们并没有坠入情网。

Plenty of firms have less involved celebratory rites, like ringing bells or banging gongs when they hit certain sales milestones.

许多公司的庆祝仪式没有这么复杂，比如当他们达到某个销售额里程碑时，只是敲钟或敲锣。

intrinsic   a. 内在的；固有的

【例】the intrinsic value of education      教育的固有价值

【拓展】extrinsic  a. 外在的；外来的

【例】extrinsic factors      外在因素

survive    v.

1. 〔经历事故、战争或疾病后〕活下来；幸存

【例】Only 12 of the 140 passengers survived.

140 名乘客中只有 12 人生还。

2. 从〔困难〕中挺过来，艰难渡过

【例】The company managed to survive the crisis.

公司设法渡过了危机。

3. 仍然存在；保存下来

【例】The main building was demolished, but the library still survives as a museum.

主楼被毁，但图书馆仍留存至今，用作了博物馆。

involved   a. 

1. 参与；作为一部分

【例】Some people tried to stop the fight but I didn't want to get involved.

有人设法阻止打斗，但我不想牵涉进去。

2. 复杂难解的

【例】an involved plot     复杂的情节

3. 耗费很多时间；关注

【例】I was so involved in my book that I didn't hear you knock.

我全神贯注在看书，没听到你敲门。

4. 关系密切

【例】They're not romantically involved.

他们并没有坠入情网。

Even simple rituals can encourage a sense of community and purpose among employees.

即使是简单的仪式也能鼓励员工形成集体意识和使命感。

rate   v. & n.

1.作动词

（1）评估；认为

【例】The university is highly rated for its research.

这所大学因其研究工作而受到高度评价。

（2）划分等级

【例】She is currently rated number two in the world.

她目前排名世界第二。

（3）值得，配得上（某种对待）

【例】The incident didn't even rate a mention in the press.

这件事在报纸上连提都不值得一提。

2. 作名词

（1）比率；率

【例】a high/low rate of unemployment      高／低失业率

（2）速度；进度

【例】The number of reported crimes is increasing at an alarming rate.

报警案件的数量正在以惊人的速度增长。

A paper published in 2021 by Tami Kim of the University of Virginia and her co-authors asked volunteers to participate in a set of physical movements before starting out on a brainstorming exercise.

弗吉尼亚大学的塔米·金和她的合著者在2021年发表了一篇论文，要求志愿者在开始头脑风暴练习之前一起做一套身体动作。

rate   v. & n.

1.作动词

（1）评估；认为

【例】The university is highly rated for its research.

这所大学因其研究工作而受到高度评价。

（2）划分等级

【例】She is currently rated number two in the world.

她目前排名世界第二。

（3）值得，配得上（某种对待）

【例】The incident didn't even rate a mention in the press.

这件事在报纸上连提都不值得一提。

2. 作名词

（1）比率；率

【例】a high/low rate of unemployment      高／低失业率

（2）速度；进度

【例】The number of reported crimes is increasing at an alarming rate.

报警案件的数量正在以惊人的速度增长。

Some looked at each other during this warm-up and others did not. The people who maintained eye contact rated the subsequent brainstorming as more meaningful.

在这个热身过程中，一些人互相看着对方，另一些人则没有。保持眼神交流的人认为随后的头脑风暴更有意义。

rate   v. & n.

1.作动词

（1）评估；认为

【例】The university is highly rated for its research.

这所大学因其研究工作而受到高度评价。

（2）划分等级

【例】She is currently rated number two in the world.

她目前排名世界第二。

（3）值得，配得上（某种对待）

【例】The incident didn't even rate a mention in the press.

这件事在报纸上连提都不值得一提。

2. 作名词

（1）比率；率

【例】a high/low rate of unemployment      高／低失业率

（2）速度；进度

【例】The number of reported crimes is increasing at an alarming rate.

报警案件的数量正在以惊人的速度增长。

But turning everything into a ritual also risks being tiresome. The only thing worse than an unnecessary meeting is an unnecessary meeting with stretching beforehand.

但是把一切都变成一种仪式也有可能令人厌烦。比不必要的会议更糟糕的，只能是在不必要的会议开始之前还要伸展一下身体。

fabulous   a.

1. 极好的；绝妙的

【例】a fabulous performance     精彩的表演

2. 巨大的；巨额的

【例】the Duke’s fabulous wealth    那位公爵的巨额财富

3. 寓言中的；神话似的

【例】fabulous beasts     传说中的野兽

appealing    a. 

1. 有吸引力的；有感染力的

【例】Spending the holidays in Britain wasn't a prospect that I found particularly appealing.

在英国度假对我并不特别有吸引力。

2. 恳求的；可怜的

【例】 “Would you really help?” he said with an appealing look.

“你真的愿意帮忙吗？” 他恳求道。

【拓展】appeal  v. &  n.

1. 作动词

（1）上诉；申诉

【例】The company is appealing against the ruling.

公司正对判决提出申诉。

（2）呼吁；恳请

【例】Farmers have appealed to the government for help.

农场主请求政府帮助。

（3）有吸引力

【例】The idea of working abroad really appeals to me.

去国外工作的这个想法对我很有吸引力。

2. 作名词

（1）上诉；申诉

【例】to file an appeal     提出上诉

（2）呼吁；恳求

【例】The police have issued a new appeal for information.

警方再次发出呼吁，征求线索。

（3）吸引力；感染力

【例】The Beatles have never really lost their appeal.

披头士乐队的感染力经久不衰。

Hosting colleagues at a regular meal and calling it “Fabulous Friday” is going to be most appealing to those who would otherwise be having a “Friendless Friday”.

招待同事吃一顿普通晚餐，然后将其称为“美妙的星期五”，这对那些原本会过一个“没朋友的星期五”的人来说才最有吸引力。

fabulous   a.

1. 极好的；绝妙的

【例】a fabulous performance     精彩的表演

2. 巨大的；巨额的

【例】the Duke’s fabulous wealth    那位公爵的巨额财富

3. 寓言中的；神话似的

【例】fabulous beasts     传说中的野兽

appealing    a. 

1. 有吸引力的；有感染力的

【例】Spending the holidays in Britain wasn't a prospect that I found particularly appealing.

在英国度假对我并不特别有吸引力。

2. 恳求的；可怜的

【例】 “Would you really help?” he said with an appealing look.

“你真的愿意帮忙吗？” 他恳求道。

【拓展】appeal  v. &  n.

1. 作动词

（1）上诉；申诉

【例】The company is appealing against the ruling.

公司正对判决提出申诉。

（2）呼吁；恳请

【例】Farmers have appealed to the government for help.

农场主请求政府帮助。

（3）有吸引力

【例】The idea of working abroad really appeals to me.

去国外工作的这个想法对我很有吸引力。

2. 作名词

（1）上诉；申诉

【例】to file an appeal     提出上诉

（2）呼吁；恳求

【例】The police have issued a new appeal for information.

警方再次发出呼吁，征求线索。

（3）吸引力；感染力

【例】The Beatles have never really lost their appeal.

披头士乐队的感染力经久不衰。

And one person****’s ritual**** is**** another person****’s ordeal****.**** Ms**** Kim’s paper mentions**** a digital agency**** that**** holds regular sessions**** in**** which employees share personal**** stories about moments that**** changed their lives.****

而且一个人的仪式可能是另一个人的折磨。金女士的论文提到了一家数字机构，该机构定期举行分享会，让员工们分享改变他们人生的时刻和个人故事。

This**** is**** indeed**** a ritual****,**** but so**** is**** hanging,**** drawing and quartering****.**** If**** there is**** a golden**** rule**** of**** corporate ritual****,**** it**** is**** that**** it**** should**** make**** people**** feel**** as**** if**** they**** belong****.****

这确实是一种仪式，但绞刑、车裂也是一种仪式。如果说公司仪式有什么金科玉律的话，那就是仪式应该让人们感觉他们属于这里。

课后练习

• The ritual of giving tombstones is used ____.

  A. as a way to show a sense of humor

  B. to foster mutual trust in the company

  C. as an original advertisement to attract clients

  D. to commemorate business success

• The experiment by Tami Kim shows that ____.

  A. some rituals can generate a sense of purpose

  B. physical movements promote creativity

  C. communication matters in teamwork

  D. people work better with acquaintances

• The example of “Fabulous Friday” shows that ____.

  A. showing kindness to colleagues can build team spirits

  B. interactions after work are important to mental well-being

  C. employees should develop their interpersonal skills

  D. rituals are undesirable if they are unnecessary

• The ritual of the digital agency in Kim’s paper shows that ____.

  A. people can learn from each other’s experiences

  B. innovation comes from the details in daily life

  C. people may feel differently about the same ritual

  D. speaking in public makes people feel nervous