• Lindsay

    This is great! I’ll be taking a print-out to my Project Management meeting this afternoon. Thanks.

    • http://www.yahoo.com Mary

      WoW, this is superb!

      • http://findingyourpassion.com.au Finding Your Passion

        I’ve found that passion really increases your motivation. You don’t need to be motivated if you love it!

        • http://fashiongirlstyle.wordpress.com/ fashion guide

          Bonnie! That is terrible news!

          Because of things like that I left my job and went into my own business.

          Maybe you could start your own business using your ideas and employ people who want to work for someone progressive? 

    • http://quotesaboutbeingyourself.com/ be yourself quotes

      This the kind of article that you bookmark because it would be a shame to lose the link. Anyone agree?

    • happy

      Hi.This site is nice.Nice to meet you!
      http://555.mond.jp/

  • http://www.priscillapalmer.com Priscilla Palmer

    You have been tagged for The Personal Development List. (See my site for details), I would love to have you participate.

  • http://www.best-interview-strategies.com Bonnie

    Great list, John!

    I think your #10 is particuarly valuable. I was just reading (literally, like 20 minutes ago) something that said more people leave their jobs because they feel unappreciated than because they want more money/benefits.

    Unfortunately, where I work, management constantly shoots down our attempts to get an employee recognition program going. They’re standard response: “We value EVERY member of our organization. To single out one employee’s (or team’s) efforts will make everyone else feel slighted!” So every other year they do a company-wide recognition event where EVERYONE is “recognized” (which means, in reality, that NO ONE is recognized). Morale here is quite low, by the way.

    I’d like to add one more tactic to your excellent list:

    22. LEAD BY EXAMPLE. Don’t just tell people how to fulfill the company’s mission, vision & goals … SHOW them.

    I believe most other tactics are doomed to failure if managers don’t act as they demand their employees to act (i.e., expect employees to meet deadlines yet be constantly late with their own work). (Failure to “walk the walk” is another reason morale here is low.)

    Sorry to vent a bit, John… but this list really hit home for me. Thanks so much for the stimulation! :-)

    • http://www.squidoo.com/finding-your-passion-how-to-live-your-dreams Live Your Dreams

      Bonnie! That is terrible news!

      Because of things like that I left my job and went into my own business.

      Maybe you could start your own business using your ideas and employ people who want to work for someone progressive?

  • http://stresstopower.com/blog Jean Browman–Stress To Power

    Success From the Nest has a great post ((http://successfromthenest.com/content/eternal-playlist-of-the-successful-mind/#more-214) about reconnecting with our enthusiasm by using some NLP (neurolinguistic programming) techniques to relive past successes. I’m a certified practitioner of NLP, and Tony’s post is the most down-to-earth and powerful description of some of those techniques I have ever read.

    I tend to be inner-directed, so when I need motivation I reconnect with the love of doing the job and the joy of being on the path to success. I’m a firm believer in Earnie Larson’s statement: “There are few things more wonderful than knowing where you want to go and being on the path to getting there.”

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  • ascian

    Why is there no number 9? :)

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  • http://www.pickthebrain.com John Wesley

    9 is bad luck? Just kidding. I must have pulled one out by accident. Too late to change it now, I’d mess up the title.

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  • lou

    better one for team spirit: Team work makes the dream work.

  • Dag

    Funny. I read item 7 as ‘Deadliness’. How’s that for motivation?!

  • Christoffer

    A very nice list, being sure to save this when I (more correct: if I) get a executive position somewhere. =D

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  • Bunk

    Was number nine a good one?

  • http://www.pickthebrain.com John Wesley

    Doubtful, or else I wouldn’t have cut it.

  • Ryan

    I read this from the perspective of helping someone lose weight.
    Turns out, I am using quite a few already. I’ll have to add some of the others too.

    Thanks for the tips.

  • http://richgrad.com Personal Development for the Book Smart

    9 is my favorite number! You can add 1 more in, that way you don’t need to change the title =)

    • http://www.aneducationalpledge.com Alberto O. Cappas

      As part of April Appreciaton Month, I want to share my educational pledge which is appropriate during this period, epsecially for our young people:

      An Educational Pledge

      I pledge to maintain a
      Healthy Mind and Body
      Staying away from the Vice of drugs
      I pledge always to try my Best to understand
      The importance of Knowledge and Education
      I pledge to paint a Positive picture of where I plan to be in the future
      Not allowing obstacles to stop the growth of my Plans
      I pledge to seek Answers to Questions,
      With the understanding that they
      Will lead to other discoveries
      I pledge to work Firm
      With the Awareness and Confidence
      That firm work Today will serve
      As the Seeds for my strong Tree tomorrow
      A Tree that no one will be able to tear down
      I pledge to learn proper languages,
      Beginning with my Mother’s
      Always prepared to Appreciate others
      I pledge to gain a better understanding of Me
      By understanding my Cultural roots
      I pledge to fully accept Me as a human being
      A Rainbow of many cultures and colors
      I pledge to overcome any Personal misfortunes
      Becoming Stronger from such misfortunes
      Always striving to become
      A wise person.

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  • Jon

    I somewhat disagree with #17. Though common sense tells us that the only way we’re going to improve is by constantly challenging ourselves (which is great for personal goal setting), you sometimes run the risk of setting unrealistic expectations that can result in a decrease in morale due to failure or long hours. Additionally, it may not be wise to set one person’s performance as the bar for another as they may have very different skill-sets. You have to thoroughly evaluate the feasibility of those goals and be prepared to accept the possibility that you made an error when those goals are not achieved.

    All of the other tips are great, thanks for your clear and concise thoughts!

    • John Hymers

      I can relate to your thoughts on “the bar” possibly being raised unrealistically high. I think that #17 follows along from #16 in the positive/constructive criticism approach. I think that raising the bar a “little”, as the author states, speaks to the fact that we should strive to look at the good sides of out accomplishments. By looking at our attempts from a positive perspective, this allows a person to have a realistic sense of achievement and be able to direct their attitudes, feelings, thoughts and behaviors toward ever increasing levels of personal achievement.

  • http://cheerfulmonk.com Jean Browman–Cheerful Monk

    I agree with Jon. People are happiest and most productive when they’re challenged just the right amount (see http://stresstopower.com/Optimizing%20Stress.html ), but if someone else is constantly raising the bar for them it will be oppressive. Don’t forget items 6 and 11.

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  • http://www.onlinecashwithharveen.com Harveen

    Great post, Im sending this one to some people iIknow who can use it in their next meeting. I esp. liked #3 appealing to people’s selfish nature-it works!!LOL…

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  • belg4mit

    It’s carrot and stick, not carrot on a stick. Carrot and stick refers to reward & ounishment. A carrot dangled on pole, as fishing, is never actually received.

  • http://cheerfulmonk.com Jean Browman–Cheerful Monk

    Motivation is great, but don’t forget one of Dave Barry’s most important rules: “Never confuse your career with your life.” In the long run you’ll get more meaningful stuff done if you know what your life is about.

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  • Richard

    Wheres number 9?

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  • http://www.slowdownfast.com/blog/ David B. Bohl at Slow Down FAST

    #18 is great. As a wee lad, I used to ask”If it isn’t fun, why am I doing it?” I somehow forgot that question down the road, but have since resurrected it. Life is too short. Also, variety is the spice of life, as #21 attests.

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  • http://www.ourjourneytolife.com Journey

    Great advice, but what’s #9???

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  • http://www.easymotivationalstrategies.com Sue

    Wonderful blog John. I like that it is easy to read and clarifies each heading in a simple and direct manner. Where’s number 9? I particularly like the ones about team work as there is not enough in the world today.

    I would love to share more thoughts on motivation in my personal blog here. Big Hugs.

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  • http://www.costaricascallcenter.com Richard Blank

    What is a Call Center’s secret to motivation?

    If the agents value success, integrity, customer service, a personal work ethic, excellence and innovation, then we help the associate align those values with the organization’s objectives. We help in creating personal long-term goals such as becoming a top producer or a more short-term goal like mastering the calling script. We reinforce their emotional state of confidence, keeping them focused on the basics, guidelines and adherence to hit for a higher standard. Rewards are common for agents with positive customer feedback so that they consider the call center a career opportunity, not a dead end job.

    Money will always motivate employees. In Costa Rica, call center jobs are high-paying, highly sought-after jobs in comparison to other vocations. Most of the telemarketing jobs leaving the United States are for positions and salaries many North Americans snub. A call center agent will make a consistent, effective contribution to the campaign’s success in order to insure that their paycheck continues.

  • Pavel

    Very good and solid list, thank you, I resonate with each item. The only issue is the page titled as “Increase Self Motivation” and the content is for motivating others :) it’s a bit misleading..

  • http://gmail gulam

    its useful