We all find it difficult to motivate employees, partners and clients. We beg, plead, cajole and, in at least one instance of which I know, cry (yes, the boss invoked tears to get someone to do something – it was sad, and it didn’t work).
How do you do make someone do what you want? Simple, really – make them believe it’s in their best interests to do so.
On a cold Saturday in New York City, the world’s largest train station came to a sudden halt. Over 200 Improv Everywhere Agents froze in place at the exact same second for five minutes in the Main Concourse of New York City’s Grand Central Station. Grand Central is a hub of activity even on a slow day (and Saturday is not a slow day), serving over half a MILLION commuters, vacationers and residents each day.
Here’s the video:
So here’s the question – how did this group motivate 207 people to take part in this exercise? They gave them an idea, showed them how much fun it would be, and how many people would see their antics (over 9 million views on YouTube as of this writing, and counting), and then let them go. In other words, they appealed to the interests of the participants.
When you ask a paralegal to get something done, do you explain WHY it’s in their best interests to do so? How it will stop the client from calling every 20 minutes, how it will clear one more thing off the pile of work to be done, how the paralegal will be appreciated?
Or do you just toss it on their desk and say, “This has to get done today,” without more?
Consider answering the question, “What’s in it for me?” the next time you assign a project. It will go a long, long way.
