During my daily routine ride in to work, I see a lot of interesting sights: people waiting for the bus, the occasional fire engine steaming passed on its way to put out a fire (or rescue a cat), and the beautification of a neighborhood. Oh, is that last one not so routine? Well, here in Cincinnati, Ohio it is hard not to notice the scaffolding jumping up aside blank, brick walls begging for a bit of a attention. MuralWorks is bringing art to neighborhoods across the city.
Why are murals important? For one, and the most obvious, a mural can take a ho-hum brick wall and transform it into a piece of art. In return, the neighborhood community is engaged: bringing people together to plan and paint the mural, starting conversation of the talents in the community, introducing the arts to children - I could go on and on.
One advantage I keep thinking about is how a neighborhood mural brings art to people and places that do not have access to art museums or art programs. In the old days (and I mean the real old days, before 1900) art was something set aside for only the rich and elite. People on the lower end of the totem pole would not have such easy access to admire and learn about great art. It was a darn-right-shame! Thankfully, today neighborhood murals are just one way the arts are made available to all, and our communities are richer and better for it.
Like the power of art at all levels of a community, employees at all levels of an organization have something to contribute and unique talents to develop. Often, opportunities for career development are rarely extended beyond the top 10 percent of employees. But, when career development opportunities are high drivers of employee engagement, having a less engaged "Mighty Middle" can easily result in lower performance, morale, retention rates, and company culture. Keep and engage employees through career development opportunities that are open and accessible to all. A little attention can go a long way in transforming a blank brick wall into a vibrant piece of art.