How Will You Measure Chapter 2: What makes us tick? | Incentives vs. Motivation Theories

During our upcoming session this Thursday, we’d be reviewing Chapter 2 of How will you measure your life? by Clayton Christensen. _*What makes us tick? | Incentives vs. Motivation Theories.*_ One of the best ways to probe whether you can trust the advice a theory offers is to look for anomalies -– something the theory cannot explain. Remember [the] story about birds, feathers, and flight? Ostriches have wings and feathers but can’t fly. Bats have wings but no feathers, and they are great fliers. And flying squirrels have neither wings nor feather and they get by … writes Clayton Christensen (paraphrased). While the Incentives Theory would make us believe the best way to maintain goal orientation and interest alignment is to provide incentives –– increase pay! This is often not the case. For instance, it is rare to hear of managers of non-profits or the military complaining about getting their staff is motivated,…