If people are worried, if they're fearful, if they feel a sense of grievance or that they're not being treated properly or that they're not being paid fairly, what you're going to have is you're going to have people doing the minimum amount of work necessary to not get fired, and not a peppercorn more.
Interpretation
Fear and dissatisfaction can lead to minimal efforts in work.
This quote by Daniel H. Pink highlights how negative emotions such as worry, fear, and a sense of grievance can impact people's motivation and performance at work. When individuals feel undervalued or unfairly treated, they are likely to only do the bare minimum required to keep their jobs, which stifles productivity and engagement.
In practice
In a team meeting, discussing the importance of employee morale and motivation.
While complying can be an effective strategy for physical survival, it's a lousy one for personal fulfillment. Living a satisfying life requires more than simply meeting the demands of those in control. Yet in our offices and our classrooms we have way too much compliance and way too little engagement. The former might get you through the day, but only the latter will get you through the night.
Succeeding makes us feel good. But beating someone else makes us feel really good. Comparing ourselves to others and coming out on top creates a sense of entitlement. And when we feel entitled, we cheat more because, of course, the rules don't apply to awesome people like us.
When we make progress and get better at something, it is inherently motivating. In order for people to make progress, they have to get feedback and information on how they're doing.
We have this myth that extroverts are better salespeople. As a result, extroverts are more likely to enter sales; extroverts are more likely to get promoted in sales jobs. But if you look at the correlation between extroversion and actual sales performance - that is, how many times the cash register actually rings - the correlation's almost zero.
Too many people hold a very narrow view of what motivates us. They believe that the only way to get us moving is with the jab of a stick or the promise of a carrot. But if you look at over 50 years of research on motivation, or simply scrutinize your own behavior, it's pretty clear human beings are more complicated than that.
Greatness and nearsightedness are incompatible. Meaningful achievement depends on lifting one's sights and pushing toward the horizon.
But indefinite visions of ambition are weak against the ease of doing what is habitual or beguilingly agreeable; and we all know the difficulty of carrying out a resolve when we secretly long that it may turn out to be unnecessary. In such states of mind the most incredulous person has a private leaning towards miracle: impossible to conceive how our wish could be fulfilled, still - very wonderful things have happened!
Your attitude determines your altitude. It really is true that If you think you can, you can; and if you think you can’t – you’re right.
Training gives us an outlet for suppressed energies created by stress and thus tones the spirit just as exercise conditions the body.
You have to be constantly reinventing yourself and investing in the future.
You take whatever works from wherever you can find it, and you keep moving toward the light.
Build today, then strong and sure, With a firm and ample base; And ascending and secure. Shall tomorrow find its place.
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