The surprising ingredient that makes businesses work better | Marco Alverà

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Melody Tang

For me, it was not being invited to a friend's wedding.

對我來說，是沒有 被邀請參加朋友的婚禮。

一開始，我其實不介意。

At first, I didn't really mind.

I thought he was having a small reception.

我以為他只想辦個小型宴會。

But then I kept meeting people who were going to the same wedding,

但接著，我不斷遇到 有參加這場婚禮的人，

and they weren't as close to the groom as I was ...

但他們不比我和新郎更親近......

and I felt left out.

我感覺被遺漏了。

That really sucked.

那真的讓我很沮喪。

我感覺很不公平。

It felt really unfair.

For my daughters, Lipsi and Greta, it was last week.

對我的女兒莉普西 和葛蕾塔而言，則是上星期。

They were taking turns massaging their mom's back

她們輪流按摩她們母親的背，

with a toy for back rubs,

用的是個揉搓背部的玩具。

and then one of the girls felt that the other girl had a longer go.

接著，兩人之一覺得 另一人按摩的時間比較長。

That's when I walk into the room

那時，我走進房間，

to find Greta in a rage, shouting, "That's not fair!"

發現葛蕾塔生氣地大叫： 「那不公平！」

and Lipsi in tears,

而莉普西在流淚。

and my wife holding a stopwatch

而我太太拿著一隻計時器，

to make sure that each girl had precisely one minute on the toy.

以確保每個女兒使用玩具的 時間是恰好一分鐘。

So if you're anything like me or my girls,

所以，如果你像我 或是我的女兒一樣，

the last thing that upset you

最近一次讓你沮喪的事

probably also had to do with unfairness.

很可能也和不公平有關。

That's because unfairness triggers us so strongly

那是因為不公平 很強烈地影響我們，

that we can't think straight.

導致我們無法想清楚。

We become afraid and suspicious.

我們變得害怕且有疑心。

Our unfairness antennae stick up.

我們偵測不公平的天線伸了出來。

We feel pain, and we walk away.

我們感到痛苦，我們一走了之。

Unfairness is one of the defining issues of our society,

不公平是我們社會的關鍵議題之一。

it's one of the root causes of polarization,

它是社會兩極化的根本原因之一，

and it's bad news for business.

而且它對於商業的影響很不好。

At work, unfairness makes people defensive and disengaged.

在工作上，不公平會讓人 起防禦心且不願投入。

A study shows that 70 percent of workers in the US are disengaged,

一份研究顯示，美國有 70% 的工作者 沒有真正投入工作。

and this is costing the companies

這個現象造成公司

550 billion dollars a year every year.

每年損失達 5500 億美元。

This is, like, half the total spent on education in the US.

這差不多等於美國每年 在教育上的一半花費。

This is the size of the GDP of a country like Austria.

相當於奧地利這種大小國家的 國內生產總值（GDP）。

So removing unfairness and promoting fairness

因此，消除不公平和推動公平

should be our priority.

應是我們的首要任務。

But what does it mean in practice?

但是在實際操作上，要如何做呢？

Is it about more rules? Is it about systems?

需要更多的規則嗎？ 還是和體制有關嗎？

Is it about equality?

它和平等有關嗎？

Well, partly, but fairness is more interesting than rules and equality.

部分是，但公平比 規則和平等有趣得多。

Fairness works in surprising ways.

公平的運作很讓人驚奇。

15 years ago, I left a US investment bank

十五年前， 我離開了一間美國投資銀行，

to join a large Italian state-owned oil company.

加入一間義大利 國有的大型石油公司。

It was a different world.

那是個不同的世界。

I thought the key to getting the best performance

我那時以為，帶來最佳表現的關鍵

was a risk-reward system

取決於一個風險回報的體制。

where you could give the high performers bonuses and promotions

以這個體制，你可以給予 表現好的員工獎金和升遷，

and give the underperformers something to worry about.

讓表現不佳的員工提心吊膽。

But in this company, we had fixed salaries

但在這間公司， 我們的薪水是固定的，

and lifelong jobs.

而工作是終身職。

Careers were set,

職涯就這樣定了，

so my toolkit wasn't very effective,

所以我的慣用工具不是很有效，

and I was frustrated.

我感到很挫折。

But then I saw that this company was producing some pockets of excellence,

然後我看見這間公司裡 有些部門有非常優越的表現。

areas in which they beat the competition

在一些領域中他們打敗競爭對手，

in very tough, competitive sectors.

且是在非常棘手且競爭激烈的領域。

This was true in trading,

在貿易上是如此，

in project management --

在專案管理上也是如此，

it was very true in exploration.

在探勘上更是如此。

Our exploration team was finding more oil and gas

我們的探勘團隊 找到的石油和天然氣

than any other company in the world.

比世界上任何其他公司都還要多。

It was a phenomenon.

那是個很不尋常的現象。

Everyone was trying to figure out how this was possible.

每個人都想要知道這怎麼有可能。

I thought it was luck,

我那時以為是好運，

but after each new discovery, that became less and less likely.

但在每一次新發現之後， 越來越覺得不可能只是運氣。

So did we have a special tool? No.

我們有特別的工具嗎？

沒有。

Did we have a killer application that no one else had? No.

我們有別人沒有的 殺手級應用程式嗎？

沒有。

Was it one genius who was finding oil for the whole team?

我們有一個天才在為 整個團隊找到石油嗎？

No, we hadn't hired a senior guy in years.

不是，我們已經許多年 沒有僱用過資深的人。

So what was our secret sauce?

所以我們的秘密武器是什麼？

I started looking at them really carefully.

我開始非常仔細地研究他們。

I looked at my friend,

我研究我的朋友，

who drilled seven dry wells,

他鑽了七座乾油井。

writing off more than a billion dollars for the company,

花了公司超過十億元，

and found oil on the eighth.

在第八座井挖到了石油。

I was nervous for him ...

我一直很替他緊張......

but he was so relaxed.

然而他很放鬆。

I mean, these guys knew what they were doing.

這些人知道他們在做什麼。

And then it hit me: it was about fairness.

然後，我突然靈光一現： 這和公平有關。

These guys were working in a company

這些人在這間公司工作，

where they didn't need to worry about short-term results.

他們不需要擔心短期的績效。

They weren't going to be penalized for bad luck or for an honest mistake.

他們不會因為運氣不好 或是無心之過而受罰。

They knew they were valued for what they were trying to do,

他們知道，公司珍視 他們嘗試著在做的事情，

not the outcome.

而非結果。

They were valued as human beings. They were part of a community.

他們被當做人來珍視。 他們是這個共同體的一部分。

不論發生什麼事， 公司會站在他們這一邊。

Whatever happened, the company would stand by them.

And for me, this is the definition of fairness.

對我來說，這就是公平的定義。

It's when you can lower those unfairness antennae, put them at rest.

當你可以收起偵測 不公平的天線，讓它們休息。

Then great things follow.

好事就會隨之而來。

These guys could be true to their purpose, which was finding oil and gas.

他們忠於他們的目標， 也就是找到石油和天然氣。

They didn't have to worry about company politics or greed or fear.

他們不用擔心公司政治、 貪婪，或恐懼。

They could be good risk-takers,

他們可以大膽地冒險，

because they weren't too defensive

因為他們沒有很強的防禦心，

and they weren't gambling to take huge rewards.

而且他們不會為了大獎賞而冒險。

And they were excellent team workers.

同時，他們是出色的團隊工作者。

They could trust their colleagues.

他們信任他們的同事。

They didn't need to look behind their backs.

他們不用擔心同事的背叛。

And they were basically having fun.

基本上，他們工作時很開心。

They were having so much fun,

他們開心到

one guy even confessed

有個人甚至承認，

that he was having more fun at the company Christmas dinner

他在公司的聖誕節晚餐

than at his own Christmas dinner.

遠比他自己家裡的 聖誕節晚餐更開心。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But these guys, essentially, were working in a fair system

基本上，這些人是在 一個公平的體制下工作，

where they could do what they felt was right

在這裡他們能做他們覺得對的事，

instead of what's selfish, what's quick, what's convenient,

而不是去做自私的、 快速的、方便的事。

and to be able to do what we feel is right

能夠去做我們認為對的事，

is a key ingredient for fairness, but it is also a great motivator.

就是公平的關鍵要素， 同時也是強大的動因。

And it wasn't just explorers who were doing the right thing.

不只是探勘者在做對的事。

There was an HR director who proposed that I hire someone internally

有位人力資源的主任， 提議要我在內部僱用某個人，

and give him a managerial job.

給他一個管理職位。

This guy was very good, but he didn't finish high school,

這個人很優秀，但他沒讀完高中，

so formally, he had no qualifications.

正式來說，他不符合資格。

But he was so good, it made sense, and so we gave him the job.

但他真的很優秀，很適合這個工作， 所以我們給了他那個職位。

Or the other guy, who asked me for a budget to build a cheese factory

還有另一個人，他向我 要建造一間起司工廠的預算，

next to our plant in Ecuador, in the village.

位於我們厄瓜多工廠 旁邊的一間村落中。

It didn't make any sense: no one ever built a cheese factory.

這個要求很難讓人理解： 公司裡沒有人曾經建過起司工廠。

But this is what the village wanted, because the milk they had would spoil

但那是那個村落想要的， 因為他們的牛奶在賣出之前就壞了，

before they could sell it, so that's what they needed.

所以他們需要起司工廠。

And so we built it.

所以我們就建了。

So in these examples and many others,

從這些例子以及許多其他例子，

I learned that to be fair,

我學到：若要公平，

my colleagues and I, we needed to take a risk and stick our head out,

我的同事和我得要冒風險 並把我們的頭伸出去，

but in a fair system, you can do that.

但在一個公平的體制下，

You can dare to be fair.

你敢做公平的事。

So I realized that these guys and other colleagues

所以，我了解到 這些人以及其他同事

were achieving great results, doing great things,

所達成的極佳結果 並做出了不起的事，

in a way that no bonus could buy.

不是任何獎金能買到的。

So I was fascinated.

所以，我很著迷。

I wanted to learn how this thing really worked,

我想要知道 實際上這是如何運作。

and I wanted to learn it also for myself, to become a better leader.

我自己也想學這些， 以成為更好的領導者。

So I started talking to colleagues, to coaches,

所以，我開始和同事、教練、

to headhunters and neuroscientists,

人才仲介，以及神經科學家交談。

and what I discovered

我發現的是，

is that what these guys were up to and the way they worked

這些人熱衷的事 以及他們工作的方式，

is really supported by recent brain science.

其實與近期的大腦科學發現相符合。

And I've also discovered that this can work at all levels

我也發現，這在任何層級、任何公司

in any type of company.

都能行得通。

You don't need the fixed salaries or the stable careers.

你不需要有固定的薪水 或穩定的職涯。

This is because science shows

這是因為，科學研究顯示

that humans have an innate sense of fairness.

人類有與生俱來的公平感。

We know what is right and what is wrong

我們都知道什麼是對的、 什麼是錯的。

before we can talk or think about it.

在我們說出來 或思考以前就知道了。

My favorite experiment

我最愛的實驗，

has six-month old babies

是讓六個月大的寶寶

watching a ball trying to struggle up a hill.

看著一顆球努力地爬上山丘。

And there's a helpful, friendly square that pushes the ball up the hill,

有一個熱心助人又友善的方形， 幫忙推著球上山丘，

and then a mean triangle pushes the ball back down.

然後有個卑鄙的三角形 把球推下去。

After watching this several times,

在看了這影片好幾遍之後，

they ask the babies to pick,

他們要求寶寶去挑選，

to choose what to play with.

選擇要玩什麼。

They can pick a ball, a square or a triangle.

他們可以挑的有球、 方形，以及三角形。

They never pick up the triangle.

從來沒有寶寶選三角形。

All the babies want to be the square.

所有的寶寶都想要成為方形。

And science also shows

科學也顯示，

that when we see or perceive fairness,

當我們看見或感知到公平時，

our brain releases a substance that gives us pleasure,

我們的大腦會釋放一種物質， 使我們覺得愉快，

proper joy.

和適量的喜悅感。

But when we perceive unfairness, we feel pain ...

但當我們感知到不公平時， 我們感到痛苦......

even greater pain

甚至比我們傷害自己 那類型的痛苦更痛。

than the same type of pain as if I really hurt myself.

That's because unfairness triggers the primitive, reptile part of our brain,

那是因為不公平觸發了我們大腦中 原始的，與爬蟲類的腦一樣的部分。

the part that deals with threats and survival,

這部分處理我們受到威脅時 有關存亡的情況。

and when unfairness triggers a threat, that's all we can think about.

當不公平感觸發了受威脅感， 我們就無法釋懷。

Motivation, creativity, teamwork,

動機、創意、團隊合作，

they all go way back.

都被拋到腦後。

And it makes sense that we're wired this way,

我們天生如此，這是可以理解的，

because we're social animals.

因為我們是社交動物。

We need to be part of a community to survive.

我們得要是共同體的 一部分，才能生存。

We're born so helpless

我們生出來時很無助，

that someone needs to look after us until we're maybe 10 years old,

需要有人來照顧我們， 直到大約十歲。

so our brain evolves towards food.

所以我們的大腦根據食物來演化。

We need to be in that community.

我們得要在那共同體中生存。

So whether I like it or not,

所以，不管我喜不喜歡，

not being invited to the friend's wedding,

沒被邀請參加朋友的婚禮，

my lizard brain is generating the same response

我的蜥蜴大腦會產生出

如同我將被趕出我的共同體的反應。

as if I'm about to be pushed out from my community.

So science explains quite nicely why fairness is good

所以，科學很合理地解釋了 為什麼公平是個好事，

and why unfairness makes us really defensive,

以及為什麼公平會 讓我們生起防禦心。

but science also shows that in a fair environment,

但科學也顯示， 在一個公平的環境中，

not only do we all want to be the square,

我們不僅都想要當方形，

but we tend to be the square,

我們也傾向去當方形。

and this allows other people to be fair in turn.

接著其他人也會對我們公平對待，

This creates a beautiful fairness circle.

因而創造出一個美麗的公平循環。

But while we start off fair ...

但，雖然我們一開始是公平的。。。

one drop of unfairness contaminates the whole pool,

一滴不公平就能污染整池水。

and unfortunately, there's plenty of drops in that pool.

不幸的是，在那池水中 有很多不公平的水滴。

So our effort should be to filter out

所以，我們該努力做的 是要盡我們所能

as much unfairness as we can from everywhere,

去過濾掉來自各處的不公平。

starting from our communities, starting from our companies.

從我們的共同體開始， 從我們的公司開始。

I worry about this a lot because I lead a team of 3,000 excellent people,

我很擔心這一點，因為我領導的團隊 有三千名出色的成員。

and the difference between 3,000 happy, motivated team workers

三千名快樂、有動機的團隊工作者

and 3,000 clock-watchers is everything.

和三千名看著時鐘等下班的人， 兩者之間的差別極為重要。

So the first thing I try to do in my fairness crusade

所以，在我的促進公平的努力中， 我首先嘗試去做的事情

is to try to take myself out of the equation.

是試著把我自己從方程式中抽掉。

That means being aware of my own biases.

那就是我必須意識到我自己的偏見。

For example, I really like people who say yes

比如，我真的很喜歡

贊同我的所有建議的人。

to whatever I suggest.

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But that's not very good for the company

但那樣對公司並不是很好，

and not very good for anyone who has different ideas.

對有不同想法的人也不是很好。

So we try to actively promote a culture of diversity of opinions

所以，我們試著積極推動 一種有著意見多樣性

and diversity of character.

和性格多樣性的文化。

The second thing we do is a little more procedural.

我們做的第二件事比較程序性的。

We look at all the rules, the processes, the systems in the company,

我們檢視公司所有做決策和分配資源

the ones we use to take decisions and allocate resources,

所根據的規則、程序和體制。

and we try to get rid of anything that's not very clear,

我們嘗試捨棄任何不太清楚的、

not very rational, doesn't make sense,

不太理性的、不合理的。

and we also try to fix anything that's limiting

我們也試著使 公司內部的資訊轉移

the transfer of information within the company.

盡量不受到限制。

We then look at the culture and the motivation for the same reasons.

接著，基於同樣的理由， 我們檢視公司裡的文化和動機。

But my point is that however hard you look at the rules,

但是我的重點是， 不論你如何努力檢視規則、

the processes, the systems -- and we have to do that --

程序、體制——我們得要那麼做——

but however hard we look,

但不論我們多努力檢視，

we're never going to do enough to get to the real essence of fairness.

我們做的永遠無法 觸及公平的真正本質。

That's because the last mile of fairness requires something else.

那是因為，公平的最後一哩路 需要的是其他的東西。

It's about what people's emotions are,

那就是人們的情緒為何、

what their needs are,

他們的需求為何、

what's going on in their private lives,

他們的私人生活中發生了什麼事，

what society needs.

以及社會需要的是什麼。

These are all questions and elements

這些都是很難放入試算表、

that are very hard to put into a spreadsheet, into an algorithm.

放入演算法的問題以及元素。

It's very hard to make them part of our rational decision.

很難把它們變成我們 理性決策的一部分。

But if we miss these, we're missing key important points,

但如果我們忽略這些， 我們就是忽略了關鍵重點，

and the outcome is likely to feel unfair.

而結果很可能會讓人感覺不公平。

So we should cross-check our decisions with our fairness center switched on.

所以我們應該在將公平中心打開的 情況下交叉檢查我們的決策。

Is it right that this guy should get the job he's really hoping to get?

讓這個人得到他真的 很想要的工作，是對的嗎？

Is it right that this guy should be fired?

這個人應該被開除，是對的嗎？

Is it right that we should be charging so much for this product?

我們這個產品的收費這麼高， 是對的嗎？

These are tough questions.

這些問題很難回答。

But if we take the time to ask ourselves

但如果我們花時間問問自己，

whether the rational answer is the right one ...

理性的答案是否是對的答案？

we all know deep inside what the answer is.

我們內心深處都知道答案是什麼。

We've known since we were babies.

我們還是寶寶的時候就知道了。

And to know what the right answer is

知道對的答案是什麼，

is pretty cool for decision-making.

對於決策來說是很酷的事。

And if we turn on our hearts,

如果我們把心開啟，

that's the key to getting the real best out of people,

那是能讓人發揮到最好的關鍵。

because they can smell it if you care,

因為如果你在乎，他們能聞得到，

and only when you really care will they leave their fears behind

只有當你真正在乎時， 他們才會放下他們的恐懼，

and bring their true selves to work.

帶著最真實的自己去工作。

So if fairness is a keystone of life,

所以，如果公平是人生的楔石，

why isn't every leader making it their priority?

為什麼並非每個領導人 都把它當作首要任務呢？

Wouldn't it be cool to work in a company that was more fair?

在一間比較公平的公司工作， 不是很酷嗎？

Wouldn't it be great to have colleagues and bosses

如果同事和老闆都根據 公平和性格而挑選和訓練，

that were selected and trained for fairness and for character

而不根據已經用了六十年了的 管理科入學考試分數，不是很棒嗎？

and not based on 60-year-old GMATs?

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to knock on the door

如果我們都能去敲「首席公平長」的 辦公室門，不是很好嗎？

of a Chief Fairness Officer?

We'll get there, but why is it not happening now?

我們最終會到達那裡， 但為什麼現在還沒有發生？

Well, partly, it's because of inertia,

有部分原因是惰性，

partly, it's because fairness isn't always easy.

有部分原因是公平通常並不容易。

It requires judgment and risk.

它需要判斷和冒風險。

Drilling that eighth well was a risk.

鑽那第八個井是風險。

Promoting the guy who didn't finish high school was a risk.

晉升沒有完成高中 學業的人是風險。

Building a cheese factory in Ecuador was a risk.

在厄瓜多爾建立一座起司工廠是風險。

But fairness is a risk worth taking,

但公平是值得冒的風險，

so we should be asking ourselves,

所以，我們應該要問自己，

where can we take this risk?

我們能在哪裡冒這種風險？

Where can we push ourselves a little bit further,

我們在哪裡能把自己 再向前推進一點，

to go beyond what's rational and do what's right?

超越理性，去做對的事？

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）