Nonsense At Work

Explaining the Wall Street mess:

Here’s how I use motivation to explain the Wall Street mess.  Can you motivate others?  No.  Motivation is an internal desire, not an external force.

Yes, it is possible to ‘get’ someone to do something, whether through physical force or the fear of consequences.  But this ‘getting to do’ is not the same as ‘wanting to do’.  The most you can manage is to convince others to do something, to fan their desire to do.  The rest is up to them.

Now, what happens when you are rewarded for doing something you like doing?  Research shows that your performance could decline.

Why?  When you are rewarded for doing what you like doing, then you have more than one reason for doing it.  The result?  You are no longer motivated by mere enjoyment.

In other words, Wall Street’s fat bonuses have resulted in people who are no longer motivated by their inner joy.  Believe me, it shows.

I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.com

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© 2010 James Henry McIntosh - nonsenseatwork.com