Great Leaders Don’t Try to Motivate People
They Know it’s a Losing Strategy
Let me tell you about a problem. Companies everywhere are trying more to motivate their people. In the face of increased attrition and the continued Great Resignation, managers are spending more of their time trying to motivate their employees.
On the face of it, this might not seem like a problem. But it’s a doomed strategy.
One of the key things I’ve learned as a manager is that the moment I need to motivate someone, I know I’ve made a hiring mistake. Strong contributors don’t need to be motivated. They need to be led, guided, and trained. But not motivated.
Top performers don’t need motivation. They’re already motivated. They want to deliver great work, make a difference, and be proud of their contribution. No one needs to motivate Lebron James or Patrick Mahomes to practice. Serena Williams doesn’t need someone offering her inspirational quotes each day. Top performers are fiercely motivated.
When companies talk about improving motivation, they’re not talking about their best people. Instead, they’re trying to get more out of their worst.
They’re focusing on the group that’s lacking intrinsic motivation and trying to make up for it with extrinsic factors.
