Primed to Perform

“Total Motivation”

Firms that build a culture of total motivation, fulfill a larger mission and emphasize intrinsic motivation over salary last longer and outperform their rivals. A deep cultural focus on purpose generates innovation and creativity, thus engaging both employees and customers.

Staffers respond best to the “direct motivators” of “play, purpose and potential.” When their work stimulates and sparks their creativity, you get play, the most powerful of motivators. Then, attach meaning and mission to their work to achieve purpose. Give people work that provides a path to something they want to accomplish – potential – and their performance increases. Play ignites the greatest performance boost – then purpose, then potential.

“Indirect motivators” diminish performance. “Emotional pressure” causes people to do things for the wrong reasons. If, as a child, you played piano to please a parent, emotional pressure motivated you. As an adult, you might stay in a job because it confers status. People motivated by emotional pressure do things they don’t really want to do, but they don’t do them well. The second indirect motivator, “economic pressure” includes...