When Nothing Else Works, Try This

Key Concepts

  • Stimulating Competition and Desire to Excel: Charles Schwab used competition to motivate workers in a steel mill. By merely chalking the day shift's production number on the floor, he sparked a competitive spirit that led night and day shifts to surpass each other's production numbers, significantly boosting overall output.

  • Power of Challenges: Presenting challenges effectively appeals to people's spirit and can drive them to exceed normal expectations and achieve higher performance. Examples include Theodore Roosevelt's rise to governorship prompted by a challenge and Lewis E. Lawes becoming the famed warden of Sing Sing upon accepting a daunting challenge.

  • Intrinsic Motivation: The most stimulating factor for job motivation isn't external rewards like money or benefits but rather the intrinsic interest in the work itself, as noted by behavioral scientists like Frederic Herzberg. Engaging, challenging work can encourage enthusiasm and commitment.

Practical Advice

  • Utilize Challenges to Motivate: Offer challenges that stir individuals' ambition and drive. This can lead to enhanced productivity and teamwork as it taps into the innate desires for competition and recognition.

  • Leverage Intrinsic Rewards: Recognize and arrange work in ways that make it inherently rewarding. Ensure that tasks provide opportunities for personal achievement and self-expression.

Examples from the Chapter

  1. Charles Schwab's Mill: Demonstrates how direct, simple challenges can motivate teams to outperform not only others' expectations but also their previous achievements.

  2. Theodore Roosevelt’s Political Career: Shows how a personal challenge can pivot a significant life decision and impact broader historical outcomes.

  3. Lewis E. Lawes' Appointment as Warden: Highlights how accepting a tough role under challenging circumstances can lead to substantial personal and professional success.

Principle to Follow

  • Principle 12: Throw down a challenge. Using challenges to stimulate competition and the desire to excel can be an effective strategy to maximize personal and group motivation.