In the above video, I might come across as judgmental, and while I can be judgmental at times, that's not my intention here.
Recently, I received a call from a smart and thoughtful entrepreneur who wanted to boost his sales team's motivation. He was using standard approaches like giving commissions, points, and leaderboards to increase motivation. He sought my feedback, and while I gave him advice, I also suggested we take a step back and rethink motivation holistically.
I proposed that we consider motivation from three different perspectives . First, do people know the right thing to do? Sometimes it's not about the lack of rewards but about understanding what actions to take. For instance, teaching is tough; it's not just about pay or bonuses, it’s also about figuring out effective methods. So, our first focus should be on helping people understand what works, in general, in addition to what works for them, specifically.
The second concerns instances when people are not yet successful. For example, after the 2008 financial crisis, job applicants faced a very low success rate at landing interviews. When people do all the right things but don’t see results—like saving money over years or sending out countless resumes—how do we keep their spirits up? Instead of rewarding only success, we should acknowledge and reward the effort and right steps taken along the way.
The third is about setting goals. Imagine if every quarter you asked me about my goals and then reviewed my progress at the end of the quarter. This approach helps in setting personal objectives that aren't just about final outcomes, like fulfilling a sales quota, it highlights progress and improvement.
In summary, we need to reward not just the final success but also the journey. We should help people understand what's right for them, reward their efforts even when results aren't immediate, and set personal goals. By focusing on these three aspects, we can significantly boost motivation.
What will this startup entrepreneur do with this advice? I'm not sure, but hopefully, they will create something that helps people stay motivated in our complex environment.
