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Avoiding the Death of Motivation
(click for podcast) (6:24 min.)

How many times have you heard the advice, “keep your eye on the ball,” or “don’t look where you don’t want to go?” In every sport that uses a ball, it’s common knowledge that a singular point of concentration— the ball—is imperative to successfully hitting that mark.
 
What happens when two different balls fly over the net or the plate at the same time? Which do you aim for, or do you flit back and forth between the two, praying to hit one of them? What’s the most likely result? You guessed it: missing both.



In every organization where I’ve witnessed unrest, staff turnover, bad morale, lack of productivity and focus, the culprit is the same: More than one ball is being pitched.

When setting the mark or target for your people (or your kids), is there one single point to aim for, or are they getting mixed messages? When you know that doing an excellent job—learning, developing new skills, improving, etc.—is what will get you recognition and advancement, that’s what you'll aim for. Clear, explicit direction. A simple equation.

When any other criteria are added, what once was a simple equation becomes a complex polynomial with countless unknown variables and shifting values. The vast majority of us see how unsolvable this is, and eventually give up. What’s the point in killing yourself, doing excellent work, when it becomes obvious (watching others advance) that excellent work isn’t the goal? And trying to figure out what the goal really is, when excellence is what is being verbalized or promoted, teaches nothing but hypocrisy.

The “Best and Brightest,” tend to share this question in despair, as they “check out” emotionally, mentally, and finally physically. And the very organizations shouting “we want to attract and retain the best and brightest” are ignoring the first rule of doing so. If we look at our own families, aren’t we trying to help our kids to become the best and brightest of their generation? Isn’t this the same dynamic?

We know that the best and brightest contribute excellent work. They want to be recognized and rewarded for that work. The not-so-best or brightest can’t contribute excellent work, so they strive to maintain other criteria as a smoke-screen. This other criteria can be anything from office politics to acquisition of status symbols. Which demographic does your organization or family cater to, protect, or nurture? Which demographic would you prefer to build your organization or family with? Whatever you reward or cater to is what will be developed. Is there one clear pitch to swing for?



Although this may seem complex, the real lesson here is in simplifying things. Folks who share the virtues of working hard, being loyal, being participative and contributive, also tend to believe strongly in the virtues of justice and fairness.

Here are a couple things you can do to ensure that you’re not rewarding the wrong behavior, and are motivating your people to do their best.

1. Take a look at the message or messages that are sent by who's advancing and who's not (and why?)

2. Is recognition all lip service, or does the organization have significant real material ritual and peer celebration to illustrate and reinforce its commitment to excellence of performance? In a family situation, recognition and celebration are just as important.

3. Remember that this works in reverse when folks get rewarded for all the wrong reasons! This is how people get trained to lie, cheat, or bully from childhood.

4. Do what you can to introduce and promote a Meritocracy in your organization or family. Make sure that advancement and reward are based strictly on merit. This is the simplest goal to convey, follow, or measure.

The really good news? The simplest, easiest way to run an organization coincidentally attracts and retains the best and brightest. This is a win-win strategy for any organization, from a multi-national corporation to a two person family

Want to learn more about how to become the best you possible? How your communication can hold you back or catapult you forward? Come visit the web site, or better yet, contact me and see how we can design a program to fit your needs and desired outcomes.

     - Ian J. Blei

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July Offer -

I'm almost finished with the proofing and editing portion of the sequel to "Kind Ambition." To celebrate, I'm putting the original on sale along with some other cool stuff.

We celebrate Freedom on July 4, and what could be more freeing than turning all those WTFs into "oh, of course!!" That's what it's all about.

Let's have a conversation. Maybe we'll light some light bulbs?

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“He combines his extensive knowledge of integral theory, the Enneagram, and neuroscience, in a seamless way (truly a Grand Unifying Theory of Everything), and helps you apply this greater understanding to whatever matters to you. He helps you build the trellis which you can hang any flower on that you choose.." - P.R., - S.F.


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The Integram - the podcast series

Kind Ambition - 3rd Edition
 

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