What Motivates You at Work?

I receive an variety of catalogues in the mail at my job; I must have somehow gotten on a few interesting mailing lists through working with clients.  The most remarkable one so far, though, was a catalogue for corporate motivational products– also known as, ”Successories”.  Typing that word just made me a wee bit uncomfortable.

I’m really not sure how I feel about the idea of being given a motivational lapel pin by my boss for a job well done.  Or a poster that says, “Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to achieve uncommon results”.  (Although it’s always nice to be common!) 

Ok, maybe I am sure how I feel about it:  Ambivalent. 

Fortunately, to my knowledge that catalogue has never been ordered from by anyone at my company.  I think that is a good thing.  I’m somehow not enthused about the idea of receiving a coffee mug that says, “YOU PUT THE ‘COOL’ IN WATER COOLER” or a plush monkey wearing a vest that says, “WORK HARD – PLAY HARD!” from my boss.  In fact, I think it would almost devalue the work I am doing. 

Basically, I’m no longer five.  I am not that excited about receiving toys and presents for a job well done.   It’s not that I don’t want my hard work to be acknowledged, but I AM saying that having management take me aside and let me know that they appreciate the work I’m doing is just as meaningful– and possibly MORE meaningful, than having them take me aside and give me a travel coffee mug that’s full of jellybeans and that says “You Make The Difference”. 

If my team did a great job on that last project, just telling me, “Your team did a great job on that last project,” is to me more significant than giving me a poster that says, “The Power of Team”.

Am I crazy?  Or is the idea of receiving motivational doodads at the office kind of undignified? 

I think that a good manager knows what is important to his employees, and knows how to reward them in meaningful ways for a job well done.  I am fortunate to have such a manager.

-Molly

Tags: boss, hard work, inspirational sayings, manager, motivational toys, rewards for hard work, successories