You Can't Motivate Another Person

People can’t be motivated by another person. They have to motivate themselves. If you are a parent of a teenager, you already know this one…. If you are a manager of a slow performing group of individuals you know it, too. You hold meeting after meeting; contest after contest; workshop after workshop to no avail. No matter how hard you push, explain or reward, you can’t force them forward.

 No you can’t motivate others. But you can make them feel uncomfortable with their own status quo… Because everyone (just like) you is influenced by others. John Maxwell says, “Leadership is influence.” If you are a person of influence, you got in that position by working differently than anyone else to make changes happen. You provoked the problem enough that others had to act in the direction you wanted.

 There’s a story that Knute Rockne, the famous football coach once delayed attending the Notre Dame half time locker room meeting when his team was getting trounced by an opponent. The team, depressed and pretty much defeated wondered where their coach was. Minutes ticked and the half time was almost over.

 At the last minute, Rockne opened the door to the team room and looked startled. “Oh,” Rockne said. “I thought this was the NOTRE DAME Football team!” That was all he said... Shamed by his brief remark, the Fighting Irish went out and won defeated their opponent.

How can you provoke others to make the changes you know they need to make?