Motivation

A manager, who had just returned from a Motivation Seminar, called an employee into his office and said, “Hence forth you are going to be allowed to plan and control your job.  That will raise productivity considerably, I am sure.”

“Will I be paid more?” asked the worker.

“No, no.  Money is not a motivator and you will get no satisfaction from a salary raise.  Happiness comes from within, you know.”

“Well, if I do my job better and production does increase, will I be paid more?”

“Look,” said the manager.  “You obviously do not understand the motivation theory.  Take this book home and read it; it explains what it is that really motivates you.”

As the man was leaving, he turned and asked, “If I read this book will I be paid more?”

The above story is taken from Anthony de Mello’s book of parables, The Prayer of the Frog.

The moral given by the author is: “Truth does not lie in theories.”

A meeting which I attended today motivated me to bring this story here.   People, including me, have their own pet theories about almost anything.  The truth lies beyond those theories.  The truth often lies in simple things, like feeling of security, for example.   The real motivator is that simple, personal truth.