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Trevor Manning Consultancy
Achieving  Business results 
through Real-World Training 
and Leadership Development

Motivation - Show me the money

3/25/2015

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Ask most people what would really motivate them at work, and invariably they point to some financial reward in the form of a meaningful bonus or salary increase. Common wisdom in business, promotes the idea that the bigger the financial reward the more likely people are to be motivated to achieving the results. Most performance management systems are built on this very premise.

But watch most people performing a task, and you see a very different motivator. Many people spend hours working passionately on personal projects that have no financial reward or are involved in gruelling activities such as cycling or marathon running that actually cost money, and are filled with suffering and pain. At work, the most motivated people often work long hours and put in extra-ordinary effort to achieve a project deadline, that far exceeds any reasonable expectation of being financially compensated for the work.

Lakhani and Wolf published a study in 2005, where they studied the behaviour of engineers on nearly 300 software projects, and their conclusion after the study was that “enjoyment-based intrinsic motivation is the strongest and most pervasive driver”

Hertzberg suggests that money is an extrinsic motivator. By not paying someone their market worth, or not providing fair financial compensation, it can strongly demotivate people. The evidence seems to suggest that using money as a primary motivator, where any creativity is required, is actually counterproductive.

Daniel Pink in his fascinating book “Drive” quotes a classic  study by psychologist Karl Dunker, in the so-called candle study, where external rewards actually reduced performance on the task.  His conclusion is that for work that requires focussed activity and a known outcome, external rewards can increase motivation, but for tasks that require innovative thinking, the very promise of a reward increases focus on the outcome to the detriment of creative ideas. In the candle study the reference group that were motivated by a reward were so focussed to achieve the result that they actually failed, as they lacked the creativity to solve the puzzle.

I would love to hear your views on this complex subject!

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Standing still is not an option

3/9/2015

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Having just run a leadership course in Las Vegas, I am the envy of all my friends and family. At first glance Vegas is an amazing city of opulence and over indulgence. Buildings are all lit up with gold exteriors and lavish fountains welcoming you as you arrive into the hotel lobbies. But scratch the surface and you see a problem. Other than the newest high rises, or the exclusive venues for the rich and famous, many hotels are in serious need of maintenance work and the quality of food and service leaves much to be desired. One gets the impression that in their heyday  these hotels were world class, but the world has moved on, and in places like Dubai, Singapore and Thailand you get a much better customer experience, at a much better price.

The benefit for a consumer in a  competitive environment is that things are continually improving. This creates a challenge for the suppliers – what was excellent yesterday is only average today. After a very disappointing experience with a major car hire company on my last trip I switched to a new entrant to the market. What a difference! I was personally greeted by a manager armed with my keys and completed contract. He was expecting me as he was tipped off by the bus driver. You are also guaranteed less than a 5 minute wait for the bus. There is no arrival queue - we walked straight over to my car and in 5 minutes flat I was on my way! Unless the older companies wake up to the increased customer expectations, they will find themselves losing market share. Standing still is not an option.

Leadership is the same. Unless you are continually learning and moving forward you will find you are in reality going backwards, relative to others around you. In my leadership classes I see those who are destined  for great things as they have the right attitude to learning and continual improvement. In your busy jobs, ask yourself when last you invested in your own personal development, so you are going forward not backwards.

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    Author

    TMC Global has been established to provide real-world training and consultancy in wireless technology and technical management. 

    Its founder, Trevor Manning is passionate about people development and has developed training courses and business offerings that combine theory and practice to make a real difference in the workplace. 


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