Management Anecdote: "Paying for What You Want"
Knowing how to motivate your staff successfully is often regarded as the holy grail of management. When it works, staff deliver results without any effort on your part. The trouble is, most motivation is still based on the external model of rewards, such as money, bonuses, and recognition. These usually only have a temporary effect in motivating people which then wears off before another reward has to be given. In the end, external motivation means a high cost to you and your business. On the other hand, when you tap into people's internal motivations, there is no effort on your part and no drain on costs. The following management anecdote illustrates perfectly the real nature of external motivators.
Management Anecdote: "Paying for What You Want"
An elderly gentleman spent each afternoon tending his large garden on his corner lot. A group of 10-year-old boys began harassing him on their way home from school. After a few days listening to their insults, he decided to act. The next day, he met the boys as they approached his house and told them that, as he lived alone and met so few young people, he was rather enjoying their attention. To show his appreciation, he told them that if they continued showing attention to him on the next day he would give them a dollar each. Amazed and excited, the next day the boys showed up right after school, showered the old man with jeers and got their reward of a dollar each. The old man asked them to come back the next day but, as he didn't have much money, he could only give them a quarter each. The kids still thought this was a pretty good deal and so the next day came and taunted him again. Once more, the old man paid them off, but announced that as he now had even less money, in future he would only be able to give them a penny each.
He never saw the boys again.
"Paying For What You Want": the Lessons
Here are some of the lessons from the management anecdote on "Paying for what You Want":
1. all external motivation is like a bribe and is effective only for as long as the bribe is of value to those who get it
2. external motivators are a drain on your resources, whether monetary, time, or energy
3. don't use money, recognition, and workplace conditions as motivational bribes; give them because it is right and fair to give them
4. know without any doubt that the reasons why people should do a good job are because of the intrinsic rewards such as fun, enjoyment, self-pride, satisfaction, the glow of a job well done
5. if you are a leader or supervisor yourself, demonstrate in a quiet way these intrinsic motivations yourself and you will have a greater influence on others than you will ever know.
Further Links on Motivating Your Staff
For 20 ways to motivate your staff without raising their pay, click here.
When you think more money will motivate your staff, think again. Read more here.
12 easy ways to motivate your staff and get the performance you want. Click here for the full list.
For an MTL SkillBooster on "Motivation", click here.