Money Isn't Everything
In Arc of Ambition, Champy & Nohria (2000) said, “People who reach
exceptional heights may differ from each other, but one thing they all share is
a clear goal born of some organizing purpose that summons their talents, aims
their efforts, and steers them in the right direction. A compelling purpose is the ambitious person’s
true north, keeping him or her on course” (p. 115). In short, “the need for meaning drives
achievement.”
In a private meeting, Pierre
Hessler demonstrated what it means to be a coach, a mentor, and a leader, when
he told Andy Mulholland to be careful about making decisions solely for
money. He challenged him to consider three
other motivators when moving forward into one’s destiny and purpose. Sometimes it takes another person to shake us
loose from the allure of money. Caught
by the windfall and an imagination run amok, we can easily find ourselves
shaking hands and agreeing for a larger piece of the pie only to find later
that we’ve sold our souls for a higher salary.
Mulholland’s three motivators are grounding and help provide a
perspective to minimize future regret.
First, Mulholland proclaimed that
we should, “Do interesting work.” Whetten
& Cameron (2011) identified “What motivates workers?” and found, “While
research results highlight differences in what organizational members tend to
see as highly motivating aspects of their work, on average, employees placed
the highest value on “interesting work” (p. 346). This scored higher than job security, good
wages, and even good working conditions.
Secondly, Mulholland identified,
“To expand skill set.” Growth is a
natural by-product of a successful venture.
If something is alive, it grows.
If it isn’t, it dies; and sometimes, slowly and painfully. Mulholland’s point on “expanding skills” ties
into the growth potential of individuals.
Stagnancy and complacency drain the life out of a person’s purpose. When companies provide opportunities for
employees to grow and expand their abilities, they receive an inherent benefit
that is much more rewarding than a scheduled paycheck. Growth is life. When leaders stretch and enhance a follower’s
skill set, they connect to the inner drive and motivation in a way that money
can’t.
Lastly, Mulholland identified the
most important aspect of motivation, “To be recognized and valued.” Recognition and affirmation are powerful
motivating tools when used authentically and correctly. I realized the positive and negative effects
of affirmation versus pay when I was studying for promotion in the Air
Force. Regardless of the number of
“weighted” factors that were involved in the promotion system, if one did not
study the material, they would fail to get promoted. Therefore, I studied diligently for 2-3 hours each day over a period of six months.
Hoping to motivate me, my
wife calculated the pay increase if I got promoted. Knowing there would be early mornings and
long nights; she identified the financial increase and posted it on my desk as
a motivator. However, regardless of the
pay increase, when I would get tired and dreary from the long hours of studying,
the potential pay increase did not shake me from my slumber. Rather, what worked without fail was an
exercise I conducted in my imagination.
When an individual is promoted, the
squadron senior leaders (to include the commander) file into the promotee’s
office and congratulate him or her while handing them their new stripe. The other “non-promotees” are bypassed and
ignored with a “better luck next year” pat-on-the-back. I was one of the non-promotee and the sting
of the failure was greater than the joy of promotion. When I would get tired and distracted from
studying, I would remember the feeling of being “bypassed” and the accompanying
pain of defeat. That “office” moment motivated
me much more than a few hundred dollars a month.
In True North, Bill George (2007) said, “Many leaders turn down higher-paying
jobs early in their career decisions in order to pursue roles they would
enjoy. They came out ahead in the end—in
both satisfaction and compensation—because they were successful in doing what
they loved” (p. 110).
My personal motivations include
Mulholland’s three key elements of interesting work, professional growth, and making
a valuable contribution. In addition to
those, I am also motivated by personal growth, helping others develop, and
being true to my beliefs.
Mulholland highlighted the
importance of expanding one’s skills and the external and intrinsic rewards
that accompany professional growth. In a
similar fashion, I am motivated by a deep desire for personal growth. There is no better time in the history of the
world to be a leader than today. My
daily decisions are designed to strengthen my integrity, fortify my character,
and enrich my gratitude. Rather than
leave these qualities to chance, I intentionally pursue opportunities that will
enhance my personal development as a husband, father, and leader.
The best avenue to develop these
attributes is by “helping others grow.”
By focusing on other people and facilitating their personal development,
everyone becomes stronger. Witnessing follower’s
growth and development motivates me to be even better. By pouring my life into others, I realize
that my legacy will outlive me. With
half of my life behind me, I find great fulfillment in knowing that today’s
investment into other people will still be making a difference long after I am
gone.
And lastly, the most important
motivating factor for me is to be true to my beliefs. Without core convictions and a foundation of faith,
I am nothing more than a few catch phrases surrounding the power of positive
thinking. By living according to
principles greater than me, I am able to avoid destructive pride and selfish
motivations. Holding fast to my faith
and a belief in servant leadership, forgiveness, love, and mercy, I will
demonstrate that money, power, and success is not the pinnacle of a life well
lived. Rather, by living according to my
beliefs and caring more about others than my own comfort, I hope I encourage
others to do the same. I’ve found that
modeling behavior is much more inspiring than mere demands or instructions.
Finally, to quote Bill George
again, “Discovering your True North takes a lifetime of commitment and
learning. Each day, as you are tested in
the world, you yearn to look at yourself in the mirror and respect the person
you see and the life you have chosen to lead.
Some days will be better than others, but as long as you are true to who
you are, you can cope with the most difficult circumstances that life presents”
(p. xxiii).
My True North is a great
combination of Mulholland’s interesting work, professional growth, and lasting
value integrated with my personal development, an authentic care for others, and
a foundation of faith and principles.
Steve
References:
Champy, J., & Nohria, N.
(2000). The arc of ambition.
Cambridge, MA: Basic Books.
George, B. (2007). True north. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Whetten, D.A., & Cameron, K.S.
(2011). Developing management skills.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
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