More Motivational Thoughts

So, i never came up with anything good yesterday on the worker bee motivation. Oh well, I may never have to manage the entry-level employee again (hopefully). Ok, now how about the mid-level employee?

Mid, high, exec... these all have different definitions wherever you go. I might be considered high someplace else, but at my company I'm mid. So what makes me tick? I might be different than other people, but, let me do a mental dump and see where I get...

I like to own things, and be responsible for them. I like to think about them from a high level and figure out how this thing can be the best thing it can be. Ok, good, now why, Chad, why? Well, I want to be recognized as the person who did this. But this is only part of it.

I also want to feel like I did a good job. I don't just want to feel like I did a good job in the "I worked hard" sense.... certainly the worker bees can work their ass off and they are doing a good job. I want to feel like I gave something of myself that most other people could not have done. So, it's both intellectual and creative.

Money plays a part, only so much that I need to be rewarded with a raise and bonus occasionally - not frequently. This is assuming I don't have financial constraints at home. If home life is hard because I don't make enough, I'd get unhappy real quick. So it's only small part money.

The social thing is part of the job for sure. I'm not sure how much tho, probably more than money, but less than the work. If I don't want to "hang out" with the people I work with, it will eventually drag on me.

So, I think the formula is:
3 parts enjoying the work (intellectual and creative challenge)
2 parts liking the people I work with
2 parts recognition
1 part money

Of course there are other things like commute and location and leadership that all come into play too. Any one thing can kill a job, but the ones I listed are "must haves" for me.