Chapter: Motivation and Engagement

Conversation has a kind of charm about it, an insinuating and insidious something that elicits secrets from us just like love or liquor.

Credit: Lucius Annaeus Seneca (4 BC – 65) Roman Philosopher & Playwright

What has the potential to engage and energize people, bring them closer together, and improve their effectiveness? It’s conversation.

In this chapter, I take a broad look at motivation and engagement and in particular the impact of measures and rewards.

Innovation

Complexity

Introduction: Motivation and Engagement ** If you are motivated you are engaged

We Need to Stop Trying to Do Things to Each Other What Commitment Really Means Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter [Status: stub] POST NAVIGATION We Need to Stop Trying to Do Things to Each Other What Commitment Really Means Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter CHAPTER NAVIGATION Innovation Complexity Close Pop-up all … Continue reading Introduction: Motivation and Engagement ** If you are motivated you are engaged

What Commitment Really Means We are committed when we decide to do something without any expectation of return

Introduction: Motivation and Engagement ** Motivation ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter Commitment shapes our decisions and actions, but not all commitments are the same. Without true commitment, hesitation and uncertainty hold us back. The moment we fully commit—without conditions or expectations—momentum builds, and unexpected support emerges. Bold action unlocks possibilities we never … Continue reading What Commitment Really Means We are committed when we decide to do something without any expectation of return

Motivation ** Motivation is a fire from within

What Commitment Really Means Engagement ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly. Credit: Stephen Covey Economists and workplace consultants regard it as almost unquestioned dogma that people are motivated by … Continue reading Motivation ** Motivation is a fire from within

Engagement ** Organizations live or die in the swarm of daily interchange

Motivation ** Punished by Rewards Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter Organizations live or die in the swarm of daily interchange — in complimenting and criticizing, passing and retaining information, smiling and frowning, asking and answering, demanding and resisting, controlling and consenting. What injects meaning into one’s work is derived neither from the individual … Continue reading Engagement ** Organizations live or die in the swarm of daily interchange

Punished by Rewards Loving what you do is a more powerful motivator than any goody

Engagement ** The Difference Between Responsibility and Accountability Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter It is often suggested that offering rewards is necessary to motivate people, particularly when it comes to sharing their knowledge. However, this strategy is ultimately ineffective and potentially harmful in the long run. In his book Punished by Rewards, Alfie … Continue reading Punished by Rewards Loving what you do is a more powerful motivator than any goody

The Difference Between Responsibility and Accountability We take responsibility but are held accountable

Punished by Rewards We Need to Stop Trying to Do Things to Each Other Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter We use the words responsibility and accountability loosely in everyday language, but what’s the difference? We take responsibility but are held accountable. We can not make someone responsible for something; we can only hold them accountable. … Continue reading The Difference Between Responsibility and Accountability We take responsibility but are held accountable

We Need to Stop Trying to Do Things to Each Other And start working together

The Difference Between Responsibility and Accountability Introduction: Motivation and Engagement ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter To encourage engagement and ownership, we must stop trying to do things to each other. People often ask me, “How do you make people share?” or “How do you make people adopt social tools?” or, more generally, … Continue reading We Need to Stop Trying to Do Things to Each Other And start working together

Innovation

Complexity