Memory Motivates

Take a look at Mike Neiss post to Tom Peters Weblog (http://www.tompeters.com/entries.php?rss=1&note=http://www.tompeters.com/blogs/main/010250.php). He demonstrates that any brief periods of great insight are usually preceded by long periods of hard work. Those amazing instances of epiphany (the Aha! Moment) can be career or life changing events. Just like a gold miner who finds a few nuggets and is hungry for more, memory of an epiphany can keep us going. We want to experience that feeling where a resolution becomes clear or we reach a new level of understanding. Dwelling on these memories gives us a great reminder of why we are working hard. Memory motivates.

Two Key Outcomes of Vision

Putting together and seeing the big picture impacts work in a big way: 1) Motivation and 2) Problem Reduction.

When you clearly communicate the vision for your effort, people are motivated. They recognize their efforts are not mundane. They can take pride in their work.

When people understand the big picture because of the vision that has been communicated, problems are also reduced. This helps understand why they are doing what they are doing. It allows everyone to gain an appreciation of how the puzzle pieces fit together allowing tasks to get done according to the spirit of the law not just the letter of the law.

You can either say: 1) I put tab A into slot B, 2) I make money by being an assembly line worker, or 3) I build the safest, coolest, fastest cars on the road. The choice is yours.