#58 blue ribbon

Last week I took off on a beautiful afternoon and went to the County Fair.  It was the 59th annual fair, and I suspect that it is very similar to the first offering in 1953.  There are the requisite cows, goats, chickens and pigs on display in the agricultural buildings; the quilts, pies and crafts on display in the "cultural arts" building; freshly-squeezed lemonade, funnel cakes, cotton candy and sno-cones being hawked by the vendors; plus a ferris wheel, oversized teddy bear prizes and motion-sickness inducing rides in the arcade.  Part of the appeal is its familiarity -- just with a new generation of 4-H enthusiasts and smiling fair queen.

What I would guess is different from the first fair experience is that everyone who displayed in the cultural arts exhibits received a ribbon -- and I would bet that the ribbon color wasn't a coincidence.  A blue ribbon at the county fair used to be the pinnacle to strive toward, but not so much any more.  Now the meaning is diluted because there were a hundred blue ribbons given out in our county.  The Best in Show winners in each category got a bigger blue ribbon with the round center and fancy trim on the top, but is the impact still the same?

Those who lead members of the younger generations are going to inherit a workforce that is accustomed to getting blue ribbons for entering the fair and trophies for being a member of the soccer team.  It will challenge all of us as to how to provide recognition for meaningful achievements instead of just for participation.  I'll give the top prize to the supervisor who helps their staff get gratification from internal satisfaction instead of from an artificial reward.

-- beth triplett
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