Why do you do what you do?

What motivates you (or your employees…) to work really hard, come up with great new ideas, do the hard work of leading, planning, making things happen?

The traditional business school answer is that you’re motivated by money and / or the fear of getting fired.  If you want someone to work harder or get better results, you offer them a bonus or threaten them.

However if you’re a business owner…or if you’ve spent much time out in the work force you may have realized that the simplistic (but widely held) belief of the carrot and the stick as the only way to get employees to do things doesn’t really ring true.   (photo by oakleyoriginals)

If you ask most business owners why they got into business for themselves the most likely answer is that they wanted to be their own boss.  I know dozens of people in the corporate world who willingly gave up promotions in exchange for being able to work from home.  It’s not about the money (or at least it’s only partially about the money).

It’s that break between what’s commonly practiced in business motivation and what experience (and as it turns out science) tells us that Dan Pink’s latest book Drive is all about.

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     photo by I’m Fantastic – quote from Conan the Barbarian

Crushing your enemies might be a bit strong, maybe you don’t think about your business ‘Dominating’ in your industry – but you should be thinking about how you will be the premier provider of whatever it is that you do.  If you’re thinking more along the lines of ‘I’d like to be an average provider in my industry and have moderate success along the way’ – I would suggest that you’re going to struggle with your business.

It doesn’t have to be ‘Go Big or Go Home’ – great doesn’t equal big, but if you’re not aspiring to greatness, to dominating your little corner of the market, then I’d like to politely ask:  “What are you doing?”

Most likely you’re shooting for a successful business…

“A successful business…works predictably, effortlessly and profitably each and every day..… [without a supreme sacrifice by an owner/manager]”

– Michael Gerber, the E-Myth Revisited

That’s the kind of success (and domination) that Business Development can deliver.  Of course, the first question might be…what is business development?

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  photo by zitona

"You are the same today as you’ll be in five years except for two things, the books you read and the people you meet."  – Charlie ‘Tremendous’ Jones

I really like this quote from Charlie Jones.  I believe most people want to grow, want to learn and want to evolve into a better person, but just wanting something doesn’t make it happen, you have to learn new things, take new actions and meet new people in order to really become something more than you are today.

As a business owner or professional today – you are really busy!  No doubt about it.  However if you don’t make the time to learn new things or think about how you can change…you’re going to have a hard time getting ahead.

The good news is there are some great resources out there that can help you out of this conundrum.

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