Stop demotivating people

Jason Gots writes in How to crush an employe’s enthusiasm that unsuccessful bosses and parents have one thing in common: they are expert demotivators. Jason refers to Jim Collins who says that “the best leaders don’t worry about motivating people – they hire passionate employees and don’t extinguish their passion“.

John Wenger writes on the same topic in Stop de-motivating people and refers, among others, to:

• Daniel Pink who says people engage in their work because they seek out meaning, mastery and autonomy;
• W. Edward Demings who says people are born with intrinsic motivation, self-esteem, dignity, cooperation, curiosity, a yearning for learning; and
• Abram Maslow who says every person strives for self-actualization, it means has a strong desire to realize his or her full potential.

You don’t have to motivate your people, just stop demotivating them!