Chapter 6The Art of Motivation

When a manager complains to me, “I wish I could motivate Gus,” here’s what he really means: “I wish I could get Gus to do his job better.”

The whole point of trying to excite your employees is to make them more productive. The stronger their commitment to superior performance, the easier it becomes to motivate them. It’s like preaching to the choir. Apathetic individuals probably won’t respond to your motivational management because they don’t want to do well; they’re content to give a minimal effort and see no reason to push any harder.

New managers often assume that they’re great motivators if they communicate enthusiastically and see changes in employees’ behavior. But getting workers to pump their fists or act ...

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