To motivate someone is important to understand what it is that
motivates that person…
Redundant?
Perhaps so… on the other hand, not so much. If someone comes to me and tries to
get me to become involved in any issue or carry out a change in my habits, that
person must be able to present it in such a way that it becomes attractive to
me and to my own interests. If not, then my attention will be short lived.
During the years I spent giving seminars, there was always a dose of motivation
built into them. Sales people are constantly in need of personal motivation,
this is an intrinsic part of the personal make up. The following story,
somewhat shortened for the purpose of space, was a part of many such
presentations.
There
was, somewhere and somewhen, a small village on the shores of a paradisiacal
island… this was a beautiful, warm piece of land, under sunny skies most of the
times and a nice, very comfortable breeze day and night. People came to this
out of the way island to enjoy the bounty, peace and beauty this little piece
of heaven on earth would give them.
One
day, came a very successful, driven promoter and he was totally intent on
convincing the poor inhabitants of this island to embrace capitalism and to
convert their island home into a tourist resort, making much money in the
process (some for them and a lot for
him!!). Everyone he talked to told him that Francisco was the man to talk
to; he was a leader of sorts. After looking for him, he finally found him
sitting on a rock, by the seashore, enjoying the breeze while waiting for the
fish to bite.
-“Hi
Francisco” said he, with his most convincing smile… “How are you?”
-“Hi”
answered Francisco, not really knowing who this outsider was.
-“Do
you do a lot of fishing?” asked the man.
-“Only
when we need food” answered Francisco…
-“How
would you like to be a very successful businessman?” asked the man… and then,
as many assume in a similar situation, he thought that he had the attention of the
quiet Francisco when he did not answer.
-“Well…”
he continued… “I will bankroll you and we can build a fleet of fishing boats;
it will be the envy of all the people around”
“Hmmm”
came out of the fishing man
Assuming
this as a positive reaction, the speaker continued without stopping –“You will
manage the company, and make a lot of money”
-“I
don’t know anything about management” said the fisherman…
-“Oh,
don’t worry…" quickly said the man, thinking he had an opening... "I will send you to school and in two or three years you will
become a manager”… “Then in a few years more you will have the fishing fleet and
eventually, after you repay the loan I will make, you will be able to retire
and just fish for yourself the rest of your life in peace”…
At
this, the fisherman just looked up at the beautiful blue skies which were
spread over them like nature’s warming blanket, thought about this conversation
for a while and said: “Why would I spend all that time and effort, leave my
family here alone, study, be in your debt and work so many years so that, in
the end… I will be back doing what I am already doing for free?”
Motivation
is a multibillion dollar industry. Those who practice it as a "job" tend to look for a
perceived (usually from their viewpoint) general weakness in the make up of the
audience and simply exploit it. Much like our motivating salesman of fishing
dreams. Those who profess the art of motivation well, get to know their
audience and strive to find out what it is that truly lights up a fire under
the person(s) to whom he/she is talking.
If
you wish to motivate someone, address that individual as one, not as a part of
an indistinct whole. Find out what it is that will interest him or her to
proceed in the direction you wish to take him or her. Do not assume that what
interested your last interlocutor will be the same thing that will work with
this one.
One more reality check... There will never be a change in the person unless that
person is convinced internally that he or she wants that change to happen and,
most importantly, that his/her current behavior is preventing this from talking
place. Only then will some sort of positive change may take place… Or, at the very least, the door for such change to come to pass will be opened.
Be
Well … Be Back!!!
Final Notes:
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may take them away from their loved ones… Every request is heard, and
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