Don't Live in a Half-Built House - Peter Bregman - HarvardBusiness.org

Don't Live in a Half-Built House - Peter Bregman - HarvardBusiness.org: "David McClelland, a Harvard psychology professor, wrote the book on Human Motivation. It's 688 pages long, but since the world might end in six months, I'll give you the short version. Everyone is driven by three things:


1. Achievement (the desire to compete against increasingly challenging goals)

2. Affiliation (the desire to be liked/loved)

3. Power
* Personalized (the desire for influence and respect for yourself)
* Socialized (the desire to empower others; to offer them influence and respect)


If people have the opportunity to achieve, affiliate and influence, they'll be motivated and engaged. Even without a clear vision of the future.

So instead of worrying about what life is going to be like tomorrow, focus on these three things today.

Sit in your office for an hour and think, one by one, about each of your people (including yourself). Ask:

* Is this person working on something meaningful and challenging; something for which he has about a 50% chance of succeeding?

* Is this person relating to other people in the office; people she likes and to whom she feel close?

* Is this person being recognized for the work he is doin"