Many worthy British citizens have been knighted, awarded a CBE, OBE or even an MBE by Royal Decree, but few have the esteemed privilege of receiving a JBE.
Those who receive this unique and prestigious recognition that is awarded by the King, and only by the King, know, and appreciate what it truly represents.
The letters JBE stand for ‘Jester of the British Empire’. The small number of recipients of this prized award are in high demand in the corporate and government arena as it signifies that the individual is indeed a most creative person and one that can drive and stimulate a culture of innovation.
So how does one recognise the personal traits of a JBE recipient?
There are numerous clues that indicate that a JBE may be working in your corporate office, even if they may be operating in a most surreptitious manner. Some of these are, but not indeed limited to; the writing of numerous blog posts that may appear quite tongue in cheek, the wearing of many a paisley shirt, complete with copious coloured hats and berets, all done with the intent of making their fellow employees think just that little bit differently and to have some fun.
The learning from all this calculated, and most devious JBE methodology, is that innovation in the corporate office can only exist if there is one key ingredient, that being “fun”. Yes, a JBE knows that the root of all creativity is the ability to have fun, to have an office environment where humour is the welcome catalyst that continually rejuvenates itself, and which unknowingly morphs into the personalities of all willing employees. The result being true innovation.
But fun takes skill and continual practice, and that’s where the strength of the JBE comes into play. These seemingly oddly behaving individuals look at current corporate work practices through a unique analysis lens, one which constantly challenge the boring status quo of the organization, and is done in a way that is rooted on the basic need for humour, and lots of it.
So, if your organization is lacking in innovation, feel free to contact me. Afterall, I am a Jester of the British Empire, and I’m immensely proud to be so.
Steven Cramer JBE
PS: The JBE award is only fictitious at this stage, but who knows what may occur in the future?
Thoughts that might just be useful in the future 