Motivation – That’s not your Bosses Job!!!

Motivation – people hear that word and they suddenly have preconceived ideas about what it means and how it is achieved. We’ve all seen the critical scene in some sports movie where the team is sitting in the locker room before the “Big Game” and the Coach comes in and this says something like this –

Coach Norman Dale pregame speech to 1953-54 Hickory High School Hustlers

Coach Dale:

“There's a tradition in tournament play to not talk about the next step until you've climbed the one in front of you. I'm sure going to the State finals is beyond your wildest dreams, so let's just keep it right there.

Forget about the crowds, the size of the school, their fancy uniforms, and remember what got you here. Focus on the fundamentals that we've gone over time and time again.

And most important, don't get caught up thinking about winning or losing this game. If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be, I don't care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game, in my book we're gonna be winners!

Okay?!! [Players begin to clap up motivation]

Alright!!

Let's go!!

Let's go!!

Let me hear it!!!”

If you didn’t know it already that scene is from the 1986 movie Hoosiers – probably known as one of the most “motivational” sports movies of all time (we can debate that at another time). Let’s take a minute to look at the actual words that the Coach says to his impressionable teenagers prior to the big game.

Inspirational? I’m not sure since about 80% of the speech talks about things that they shouldn’t be doing – “not to talk about the next step…” – “forget about the crowds...” – “don’t get caught up thinking about winning or loosing the game.” – “don’t care what the scoreboard says…”. Wow – it reads like an excuse speech to justify their failure or mediocrity after the game.

Now please take a couple of minutes and watch the video version of the same speech.

Source:

Totally different with the close ups of the stressed young men, Gene Hackman’s (great actor) passionate voice rising, the dramatic score and finally to the crescendo of the clapping and yelling before leaving the room – The Hollywood illusion to perfection.

At this point, you might be like – okay John – thanks for the clip but I don’t get it – here’s my point. This whole speech is all pretty hollow until you acknowledge the one line that people think is motivating; it's a reminder to the team and it’s merely as a statement of fact -

“If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be”

This line makes sense when you put it into the context of the whole movie. It’s about - how the team started in conflict; the effort that each of the boys in practice; the fact that they faced adversity individually and together, the lack of support in their community, and the trust and respect they built between themselves and their “flawed Coach”(feel free to watch the movie if it helps 😊). It’s ultimately about their journey to get to this point as people (and players) and not the outcome of game itself which is “self-motivating”. The Hollywood speech is needed to just remind them and us of that fact.

Think about it - the boys could have just as easily have had this written down on a piece of paper and stood in front of a mirror and read it out loud to themselves and the meaning would have been the same. Don’t believe me try this version of the Coach's speech and let me know what you think.

"Most important, don't get caught up thinking about success or failure in this task. If you put your effort and concentration into working to your potential, to be the best that you can be, I don't care what people say at the end of the day, in my book you’re gonna be a winner!"

If you haven’t figured it out by now my point it's pretty simple – you're the only person that can motivate you. No one can make you get out of bed and go to work; no one can tell you if you are doing your best at something, no one can tell you if you worked as hard as you could to finish a task or project – that’s all on you.

When I searched Google for the meaning of motivation the first definition I got was:

Motivation - the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.

That’s as simple and clear as I can make it – Motivation – it’s all on you and if you are looking to get it from your Boss – you’re looking in the wrong place – that's not their job – your boss can only demotivate you – but that’s for another blog coming soon 😊.

Okay – now I really am expecting some responses challenging this blog – looking forward to hearing your opinions. Please ensure you register or come back soon to read more blogs where I will share additional JT Brain Dumps and if you are looking for any assistance with HRMS ERP Selection or Delivery please contact us and we can tailor an approach that will meet your organizations specific needs.