It is true that in business, the motivation to get things done is more likely when greed is involved. When I do this, maybe the boss will give me a raise. Honestly, I have also been motivated by the same thought myself. But, I have also thought that if I don't get something done, maybe I will lose my job. The greatest motivation seems to be tied to having enough cash and living well.

Marketing and Sales

Motivation in the sales and marketing spheres is not hard with a bonus system in place. By rewarding the top performers with bonuses, you are surely motivating people to go out and do everything they can to get those extra rewards. The competition in such an atmosphere can turn brutal at times, but there is no denying the effectiveness of bonuses for stimulating higher output.

The bonus can be a simple certificate the top selling person getting their name on it. The incentive need not be terribly elaborate or expensive in order to be effective, people just have to want it. Different groups of people will be motivated by different incentives.

Pay per performance is a much larger motivational per- formance factor. Above and beyond the annual raise funds provided, a portion of profit is set aside to distribute to employees exactly proportional to their yearly performance. Increasing annual income, adding year-end bonuses, and rewarding employees in this manner is like asking them to "walk on water daily". Those who are capable of performing like this do extremely well.

When you pay per performance, you truly motivate people to perform at their best. A percentage of the profits are set aside every year and distributed to employees in direct proportion to their contribution to their performance throughout the year and it is in addition to their salary. By increasing pay, giving out annual bonuses, and treating employees in this manner, there will be those who do very well in such a system but also those who simply cannot compete and thus do not receive the really nice perks.

Gauge Results Accurately

Even the little things will surprise you at how effective they can be. Showing some empathy and compassion for people is vital but can also be very motivating. A great deal is said about your ethics and management style by the way you communicate with people.

I like it best when I am told what needs to be done and left to my own devices to see it through to completion. Unless I said something to him, my boss would leave me alone to do my work. But, if I shot him an e-mail stating that I needed to talk to him, you can bet he was giving me a call within an hour because he knew I was not the type to just talk to people about things unrelated to work.

In less than a year, we built a "solid" relationship. He knew if I didn't contact him, I was on track, ahead of schedule, or on schedule and moving forward. He respected my judgment and he recognized that if a note appeared "Must talk TODAY" that I didn't just want to know how his wife and kids were doing. I always went over and above for my boss. It didn't take me long to obtain the aforementioned bonuses to prove it!