Hi, Chris - very well-stated and valuable post:)

I particularly enjoyed your clear distinction between outcomes (Performance) and follow-through (Operations).  Too often we do not understand the difference between these two important and related functions.  Your beginning story about awards and body bags was a perfect example of what to avoid.

What value an award if we lose our soul?

About that sports analogy, I would add that another aspect of our mania about winning is the need for affiliation.  You mentioned fans, players, and coaches all whooping it up when the team wins.  This is the power of affiliation.  The coach provides leadership, the players provide skills and tenacity, and the fans support the coach and players.  Everyone is invested in the outcome and shares the emotional reward when the group prevails.

The dark side is when people are so affiliated with a group that they become emotionally distraught based on the ups and downs of what other people are doing.  I have seen otherwise sane people become enraged when their team does poorly.    I worked in one organization where the fortunes of the local football team (Texas:) would determine the attitude of many for the next week.  When a win occurred, the week was good no matter what, but when the team lost, tragedy struck and hung around.

Sometimes the affiliation thing can be a negative value.

I wonder how the two-sided affect of affiliation shows up in our organizations and whether we ought to pay more attention to how we engage folks in healthy ways and positive relationships.

John