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.

Work Balance - The Picture

I sit here in a doctor’s waiting room. Recent temperatures have been swinging by as much 30 degrees Fahrenheit. The receptionist said they have been busy non-stop for the last two months. When I asked her if they had been challenged to keep their balance, her face lit up with a smile. “Absolutely”, she said.

That woman immediately connected with the importance of balance as it relates to work. Take a look at the symbol of ergolibrium that is showing on the left side of this blog. Which part of your work belongs on the anvil side of the symbol? Which part of your work belongs on the quill side? If your work is out of balance, you will only be able to proceed at one speed – slow.

The Near Zero Sum Game

Money I give to you, I no longer have. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Your loss is my gain. These are different ways to describe a zero sum gain where benefits to one party automatically detriment the other party. This describes all competitive sports and many business situations. (For an example of a near zero sum game in a business situation see http://blog.inc.com/the-breakthrough-company/2008/01/the_right_kind_of_conflict.html.)

Zero sum games intrinsically create conflict. Although business presenters seem to love to use sports analogies, business situations are usually near zero sum games not complete zero sum games. If we look at ways to balance positives and negatives amongst the involved parties, not all of our gains will be someone else’s losses. Look for ways to come up with win win or both win ideas. The only limit to finding these possibilities is your imagination and ability to openly communicate your ideas.

The Impasse

Two projects need the same person. Two groups need the same physical space. Two departments compete for the same funds. On the surface, impasses appear to have either no way out or no way around.

Nine times out of ten*, impasses are caused by a communication problem that needs to be resolved. That explains why impasses are so hard to overcome. We often don’t view communication as real work. The impasse itself may actually be relatively minor in surmounting once we are truly on the same page with the other person. Put effort into the true work of communication and the impasse will look like an opportunity to deepen a relationship instead of appearing to be an obstacle.


* - feel free to make up your own statistic that means most of the time.

Emotional Sunk Costs

A common negotiation technique is to get someone emotionally involved in an agreement and then make slight adjustments just before agreement closure. The negotiating "victim" hasn't lost anything yet, but since his or her emotions have become involved, pulling out of the deal becomes considerably harder.

In Project Management terms, this would be called a sunk cost. You may have no reason whatsoever to continue along a certain path, but because you have already spent some sum of money (your sunk cost), you feel the path still needs to be followed. A similar phenomena occurs with owning a stock you bought at a certain price. You may be unable to sell it until some profit has been realized even though there are far better places for your investment dollars.

Emotional sunk costs are harder to quantify which often makes them easier to justify. This can be particularly true of work related arguments. The real organizational benefit may now be marginal, but because you've already expended large amounts of emotion and energy, you can't stop. Learning to let go at the right time will reap you large benefits.

Analysis Paralysis

Johann Friedrich von Schiller (not one of my ancestors) said, "He who considers too much will perform little." While it is certainly true that facts are our friends (see http://blog.fastcompany.com/experts/dkarlin/2008/01/leadership_combined_forces_of.html?partner=rss), too much reliance on fact analysis becomes equivalent to lack of decisiveness. A true leader needs the ability to quickly ascertain the pertinent facts and then move on.

You may find yourself questioning decisions because you feel the facts were ignored. This may even be true of decisions that you made. Keep in mind that decisions are made in the gut and not the head. We make decisions first and then think of reasons afterward. This is being smart. If we sifted through all facts and reasonings first, we would never get anything done.