In this 2009 TED Conference presentation Daniel Pink examines motivation, starting with a fact that social scientists know but most leaders don’t: Traditional rewards aren’t always as effective as we think.
Motivation 3.0 for the Christian Leader
I grew up in a time when church frequently included special gospel meetings that featured a guest preacher imploring nightly over the course of a week to get right and reap the rewards of heaven or certainly go to hell. We were encouraged to invite our friends and neighbors where every night the message and volume would escalate until a satisfactory number had responded to avoid the punishment of hell. Unfortunately, the fear motivated responses rarely resulted in life-long change, many left the church quickly never to return.
As I read Daniel Pink’s book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us it struck me that we have built a church, family, and work culture based on an inferior motivational model. In a sense, our churches are stuck in a 20th century when such practices were the norm, but fall short with today’s generation. Because we were raised in this environment most of today’s leaders are just modeling what we know.
Pink presents a compelling case for a deeper method of personal, peer, and subordinate motivation. He contends that human motivation has evolved from a basic needs model, to a “carrot and stick” model, and as he proposes, a more stable intrinsic motivation model. In modern vernacular he labels these models in the style of a progressive human operating system upgrade: Motivation 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0.
Leadership Definition
Leadership is the capacity to influence others through inspiration, motivated by a passion, generated by a vision, produced by a conviction, and ignited by a purpose.
As defined at a Diversity Champions Workshop by Guardian Quest
List of Ten Things We Want Most in Life
- Opportunity to succeed (43%)
- The good life (37%)
- The pursuit of happiness (34%)
- The American dream (22%)
- A fair shake (17%)
- To be left alone (13%)
- A fresh start (9%)
- Everything I can get (9%)
- A fighting chance (8%)
- A new beginning (8%)
The American dream has been dropping on the list because young people don’t think they will ever achieve it. Wanting the good life has moved up in its place.
Source: Dr Frank Luntz, Luntz-Malansky Strategic Research 2009
List of Ten Trust Behaviors
- Communicate. Clearly let others know what you and they can expect
- Listen. Listen more than you talk
- Follow-through. Keep your promises and expectations
- Own-up. When you or a subordinate fall short take personal accountability
- Trust. You have to trust others for them to trust you
- Respect. Respect others regardless of their position
- WYSIWYG. Be a what you see is what you get person
- Loyalty. Be loyal to others and they will trust you
- Empathize. Good or bad put yourself in their shoes
- Recognize. Remember the small thing
Prepare for the Warrior
There comes a point in everyone’s life when they determine the veracity of their character. Some may think they know, but not until pressed by hardship, fear or heartache will they really know. All other times are spent in preparation. When the moment of trial comes will you be irrelevant, expendable, a fighter, or a warrior?
“Out of every 100 men, ten shouldn’t even be there, Eighty are just targets, Nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.” – Hericletus, circa 500 BC
Prepare to be a fighter and the leader will become a warrior when most needed. Anything less is a wasted opportunity to matter.
Point Guard College Leadership
My daughter attended an elite basketball camp this past summer. Last night she let me have a peek into her notes binder. I was impressed with the level of time and instruction given to training leadership to these athlete. The implication is they will be called on to influence their teammates and fans. The three aspects of leadership taught on day one:
1. Doing extra. If you want to be a leader, you must expect to do more
2. Energy. Transfer energy through enthusiasm and joy
3. Influence. lead others by being a servant
Manager and Leader
The manager administers, the leader innovates
The manager maintains, the leader develops
The manager relies on systems, the leader relies on people
The manager counts on controls, the leader counts on trust
The manager does things right, the leader does the right thing
– Fortune Magazine
There is some debate about the attributes of leaders and those of managers. Some interchange the titles making any leader also a manger and manager leader. Everyone has an opinion based on their job description, corporate culture, personal preference, and so on.
My belief is that anyone in a position to influence people is both leader and manager. Lower level positions will manage more than they lead, perhaps 60% management/40% leadership. The higher you climb in your organization the more leadership competencies used; a CEO might be 20% manager/80% leader.
The leader who can balance the appropriate level of management skills while leading subordinates through vision, innovation, and trust is the catalyst for organizational excellence, regardless of their position on the corporate ladder.