Master Your Motivation

11Work Hazards

Traditional techniques for motivating people at work have proven ineffective, faulty, or downright wrong.¹ Yet well-intentioned managers still drive for results, promote suboptimal motivation, and make creating choice, connection, and competence at work a real challenge. A question worth asking is Why?

I got a glimpse into the answer when a vice president of sales cornered me during a break at a sales meeting. “I’m about to be embarrassed,” he told me. I looked at him quizzically. He continued, “I’m about to announce the incentive plans for selling our new product. I didn’t realize you’d be here. I know how you feel about incentives.”

I nodded in agreement. I am an outspoken advocate for the body of evidence proving how external ...