Exercising Power and Extreme

FITTING IN: EXTREME CORPORATE WELLNESS AND ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION A Dissertation by ERIC PRESTON JAMES Submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Chair of Committee, Charles Conrad Committee Members, J. Kevin Barge Rebecca Gill Elsa Gonzalez Heather Zoller Head of Department, J. Kevin Barge August 2014 Major Subject: Communication Copyright 2014 Eric Preston James ABSTRACT In this dissertation I examine the intersection of organizational communication and what I name extreme corporate wellness. I define extreme corporate wellness as the push towards more radical fitness and workplace health promotion via the exercise program known as CrossFit. I argue that a discourse of extreme corporate wellness furthers a social-Darwinian viewpoint of “survival of the fittest” not only in the workplace, but also in an employee’s personal and home life. This study combined participant-observation with 28 semi-structured interviews in a large, corporate organization that had recently shifted to CrossFit practices. By drawing on a critical- interpretive lens I am able to not only examine an organization’s movement toward a more fitness-minded organizational culture, but to also interrogate the implications of such a move. The findings in this dissertation contribute to three areas of organizational communication and wellness: (1) organizational culture, (2) power and resistance, and (3) corporeal ethics. First, organizational culture, including espoused values and shared levels of assumptions, took on certain changes because of an emphasis on extreme fitness. Employee participation in CrossFit led to strict notions of strength and masculinity not just in the organization’s gym, but also throughout the corporate offices and even into home life. The extreme corporate wellness discourse also contributed to employees’ understanding of not just fitness, but health, nutrition and lifestyle. ii Second, I use the concept of extreme corporate wellness to further illuminate important links between organizational culture, identity and branding and how those interact in the complicated play between power and resistance. My reading of the organizational fitness artifacts (e.g. organizational posters, marketing slogans, tangible objects) brings into question not only the assumptions of a fitness culture, but also demonstrates how the CrossFit [regime/discourse] perpetuates certain moral imperatives about health and fitness. Even though the organization originally attempted to create a more ‘authentically fit’ workplace through a mandate or vertically communicated message, the CrossFit program functioned much more obtrusively by means of concertive control. This powerful fitness initiative was then resisted by certain employees, resulting in upended notions of organizational time. While there were certainly benefits to the program, my study weighs those benefits against the consequences of extreme wellness and its attendant discourse. Finally, I theorize how the body serves as a political site between employer, government, and public in a way that forces researchers to think differently about corporeal ethics. Specifically, I demonstrate that body politics are perpetuated by an emphasis on the extreme, hegemonic, masculine world of CrossFit and that the implications of this fitness regime extend beyond the organizational walls. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have been fortunate enough during my graduate career to have a tremendous amount of support around me. Each member of the Department of Communication helped me in various ways. First, Charley Conrad engaged my ideas and allowed for my development as a critical-scholar. His hands-off approach provided me a sense of trust, which encouraged me to be more confident in my ideas and ultimately my scholarly identity. Rebecca Gill, my friend and mentor, was a driving force in challenging me to unpack my ideas and explore their theoretical backing. Her support, friendship, and positivity continues to be an inspiring force in my life. Kevin Barge was always supportive and engaging. He pushed me at the right times, yet always having unwavering confidence in my writing and my ideas. Elsa Gonzalez helped me articulate a systematic and rigorous approach to methodology, for which I am ever so grateful. Finally, I am so honored that Heather Zoller agreed to help with this project. Her advice throughout the process propelled this dissertation. I am so grateful to my entire committee for their assistance, patience, and thoughtful critiques. I would also like to thank the employees of FitCo who took time to speak with me and allow for my observations. I admire this organization for allowing critical research and for allowing me to explore the consequences of workplace health promotion. I would also like to thank the College of Liberal Arts for funding a significant portion of my fieldwork, as well as the Department of Communication for funding my research and teaching. Additionally, I would like to acknowledge the Marcia iv and Kirk Blackard ’63 fellowship that allowed for me to explore issues of conflict in organizational communication. Without a doubt, the time I spent in College Station was an emotionally challenging journey. Through the highs and lows, I always knew I would complete my graduate work because of the strong support of my family and friends. Friends like Isaac Holyoak, who always had confidence in me as a writer, as a conceptually deep thinker, yet who was always able to remind me to let loose and relax. Jennifer Mease for being so supportive and for her ability to bring people together and extend working relationships. Joshua Barbour for his patience, guidance and mentorship in helping me develop my engaged approach to scholarship. I would also like to thank my friends Brian Altenhofen, Kevin Cosgriff-Hernandez, Michael Holmberg, Taejin Koh, Marissa Doshi, Ari Gonzalez, Josh Street, and Joelle Cruz. I hope you all know how important you are to me and how much I appreciate our friendships. I would also like to thank Brian Richardson, my M. A. advisor who continues to be a supporter of my research and a friend. I also recognize that I would not be anywhere in this journey without the support from my family. My partner, Kathryn Sturtevant, continues to be my biggest fan. Thank you for your unwavering love, support and words of affirmation. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT. ................................................................................................................ ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................... iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................. vi CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 1 CrossFit as Extreme Fitness ............................................................................... 9 Dissertation Preview .......................................................................................... 17 CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE ............................................................... 20 Organizational Control and Foucauldian Notions of Power ............................... 21 Bio-Power and the Corporate Body ................................................................... 23 Corporate Colonization of the Life World .......................................................... 26 Self-Regulating Teams and Control .................................................................... 28 The Mythos of Productivity Culture ................................................................... 33 Workplace Health Promotion as Corporate Colonization ................................... 43 Health and Identity .............................................................................................. 50 Resistance ............................................................................................................ 52 Theoretical Orientation for Dissertation ............................................................. 56 Research Questions ............................................................................................. 62 CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ........................................................ 64 The Research Site – FitCo International ............................................................ 66 Gaining Entre to FitCo ....................................................................................... 69 Data Collection Techniques ............................................................................... 73 Analysis Procedures ........................................................................................... 85 Ethical Considerations ........................................................................................ 86 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 87 CHAPTER IV FITTING INTO FITCO CULTURE .................................................. 89 Welcome to the Center of Fitness ..................................................................... 89 vi Page FitBox ............................................................................................................... 92 FitBox Coaches ................................................................................................. 93 Organizational

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