The Puzzle of Motivation–Carrot/Stick vs. Intrinsic Meaning

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/618

If you have not discovered the TED talks you are missing one of the best forums for ideas in business and life now available. I am including this video from Daniel Pink’s speech at TED  because in thirty years of consulting, it is the best  explanation of what works in motivating others. I am always asked by seminar participants–How do you motivate others? My answer has always been less than adequate. You can’t motivate individuals for the long-term. As a manager you can only create the right positive conditions and climate so people can use their strengths to do their best work. Enjoy the clip and share what are the best motivators you have found that work. Motivation and excellence is in our hands as leader-managers so chose the right methods or lose great talent.

Critical Conversation Tool: Socratic Questioning

Socrates once said, “I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.” Have you ever experienced the Socratic way of teaching–asking participatative questions to challenge learners to think and discover the answers? This method gets people more involved in learning through critical thinking and makes the learning more relevant to their lives. Socratic questioning illuminates the importance of questioning in learning.  Socrates stated that questioning was the only defensible form of teaching. It illuminates the difference between systematic and fragmented thinking. It teaches us to dig beneath the surface of our ideas and not just memorize stuff for regurgitation on an exam. It teaches us the value of developing questioning minds to cultivate deep learning. The art of Socratic questioning is intimately connected with learning because the art of questioning is important to the excellence of thought. What the word “Socratic” adds to the art of questioning is depth and interest in assessing the truth or  information about others and the situations they are confronting. Other people are afraid that by asking questions they will look weak, ignorant, or unsure. They like to give the impression that they are decisive and in command of the relevant issues. They fear that asking questions might introduce uncertainty or show them as uninformed or incompetent. They like being perceived as the expert. In fact, asking questions is a sign of strength and intelligence – not a sign of weakness or uncertainty. Great leaders constantly ask questions from many different people and are well aware that they do not have all the answers. Some people are in such a hurry to get things done that they do not stop to ask questions because it might slow them down. They risk rushing headlong into the wrong actions.

Small Things Big Impact: SMILE

“People with high levels of personal mastery cannot afford to choose between reason and intuition, or head and heart, any more than they would choose to walk on one leg or see with one eye.”  Peter Senge, MIT Sloan School of Management

I was reviewing Tom Peters, The Heart of Business Strategies :  56 * Things that Matter and was struck by a few that I think can guide your daily checklist for success. I am capturing them  under the word SMILE. If you like it put it on a post it note over your computer to keep you grounded and motivated.

Reflection #12: Our 43th Wedding Anniversary– A Priceless Connection and Lessons Learned

“Being connected and personal is to be in the process of discovering and accepting each other…trust begets trust; fear escalates fear.”    Jack Gibb . author of Trust: A New View of Personal and Organizational Development  

Birthday, anniversary, new year all are  stopping points for me. I take the time  to stop and reflect and celebrate.  Helen and I are celebrating our 43rd wedding anniversary. WOW!!! What a great day. I found a special person to live my life with. We are best friends and partners. Each of us are fallible human beings with our own strengths and weaknesses. The luck side of this is the way we compliment each other and learn from one another.  This is a journey together through good and bad times. What lessons have I learned in this special relationship called marriage?

Want to be A “smart” leader–Learn How to Learn !!!

Experts agree that sixty-seven percent of statistics are made up on the spot.   George Orwell

 I often tell people in my presentation workshops not to use MSU’s (Making Shit Up ) as a persuasive teaching tool. Nonetheless, many smart people and professionals resort to this behavior.  Why do they do this? They feel the pressure to look good, they want to be perceived as the expert, they panic and are afraid to admit they don’t know, they want to remain in control and they experience not knowing as failure. Professionals don’t like to fail because they have a history of being right and successful.

Unique Connect

“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.”  Carl Jung

 

 

How many people are able to connect very quickly with others? I am sure that at times you wonder why is it difficult to communicate and feel at ease with some people. On the other hand what are the reasons we instantly connect with others?  The answer is all in your style of communicating. How many of us are capable of diagnosing our own style? Not many.  So what can we do to relate more effectively with others? The secret is to become more adept at reading others and reflecting on our tendencies and approaches in communicating.

The secret was initially unlocked by C.G.. Jung, a Swiss paychologist who in the 1920’s wrote the book Psychological Types. This book was started to be translated in 1922 but was translated in its entirety and published in the U.S. around 1975. 

I would recommend this book for anyone who is trying to become more effective in communicating and interpersonal relationships.

There is a Permanent Solution to Change: Keep Re-Inventing Yourself

“”The key to life-long learning is not the amount of time we have, but the courage to face our demons and act.” Pecos River Learning Center   

A Positive Self-Image Leads to Success” cites a TIME study which found “only 3 percent of those surveyed had written personal goals while 97 percent of the respondents either had no goals at all or had only thought about them.” Interestingly, the 3 percent with written goals accomplished more. Here is Smart-Step approach for goal setting.

Reflection #7 Sitting on the Bench–Be Ready!!!

Many times while watching the NCAA “March Madness” I wonder what it is like to be crowned Champions? Yet this messgae from United Technologies Coroporation provides a different perspective and a life lesson for us all. Think about it.

                          To the Kid On the End of the Bench

Reflection #5 –What is Learning?

“The truth depends upon a walk around the lake.”  Wallace Stevens.

Let’s take a walk together and reflect on what learning  is…

 I spent the last few hours pondering and responding to this incomplete sentence. Learning is…

 On this post you will find my list of 25 statements . Let’s see if you can add a few more insights so we can increase our perspectives of learning. 

LEARNING IS……

1. Never complete or finished

2. Learning is being curious.

3. Learning is stopping and reflecting.  

4. Learning is life long.

5. Learning is approximate and always incomplete.

6. Learning is making mistakes; then understanding the lesson.

7. Learning is never giving up on yourself.

8. Learning is teaching a communications class or any other subject.

9. Learning is appreciating the power of focus and concentration.

10, Learning is trusting your ideas.

11. Learning is to be  present in the moment not day dreaming.

12. Learning is all about knowing that the more you understand; the more you have to learn.

13. Learning is a deliberate intention to stretch yourself.

14. Learning is tapping your potential and passion for growth and development.

15 Learning is not being stubborn or bullheaded

17. Learning is seeing your 401K becoming a 101K.

18. Learning is all about flexible thinking.

19. Learning is absorbing data turning it into information and then into usable knowledge.

20. Learning is growing old with dignity and passing on your wisdom.

20. Learning is using trail and error; then remembering what was right and what was wrong.

21. Learning is listening to a preacher or teacher and taking home one or two useful ideas.

22. Learning is conquering your fears.

23. Learning is showing up and being present.

24. Learning is challenging your irrational ideas and bad behavior.

25. Learning is sometimes being silent and just listening.  

Add your ideas about learning; at least it will take your mind off of the economy.

Smart-Step Personal Change Process

“Be the Change You Want To Be.”  Gandi

On this post, I would like to talk about personal change and coaching. We all have seen the intensity of athletic coaches. Sense it is basketball season you probably have observed how coaches do coaching in real time. They pull a player out of the game and talk to them about what happened on the floor just a few seconds ago. For example, the other night I watch a coach pull a player out of the game because the man he was guarding gave him a head and then a ball fake and was by him for an easy layup.  The coach provided immediate feedback on what the player did wrong and tips on how to play better defense by moving his feet, not standing flat-footed and reaching with his arms to try an stop the opponent. This brief coaching session last less than thirty seconds and provide an example of excellent coaching. Let’s look at the steps–the player was provided immediate feedback,  wrong behavior was identified, coach quickly demonstrate desired behavior and reinforcement was given with a pat on the fanny. By the way this was all communicated in a calm and positive manner.  The coach saw this teachable moment and took advantage of it.

Keep Head Down to Save Your Job– Good or Bad Strategy?

 

“Things do not Change. We Change.” Henry David Thoreau  

 

 

I hear over and over again from colleagues and beleaguered workers that the best way to survive this global economic crisis is to “ keep your head down”. I want to present a different point of view. If you are keeping your head down and just trying to do your work, hoping that this strategy will keep the “wolves away from the door”, you may be taking the wrong path.