MOTIVATING OTHERS

There was once a small boy who banged a drum all day and loved every
moment of it. He would not be quiet, no matter what anyone else said
or did. Various attempts were made to do something about the child.

One person told the boy that he would, if he continued to make so much
noise, perforate his eardrums. This reasoning was too advanced for the
child, who was neither a scientist nor a scholar.

A second person told him that drum beating was a sacred activity and
should be carried out only on special occasions. The third person
offered the neighbors plugs for their ears; a fourth gave the boy a
book; a fifth gave the neighbors books that described a method of
controlling anger through biofeedback; a sixth person gave the boy
meditation exercises to make him placid and docile. None of these
attempts worked.

Eventually, a wise person came along with an effective motivation. He
looked at the situation, handed the child a hammer and chisel, and
asked, "I wonder what is INSIDE the drum?"

No more problem.

Good leaders know how to motivate others. They pique their curiosity
and tickle their sense of wonder. They teach them to dream and tempt
them to do more than they ever thought possible. They challenge them
to be a part of something great.

Pilot and author Antoine de Saint-Exupery said, "If you want to build
a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and
give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless
sea."

Do that and there will be no limit to the wondrous places they can
travel.
__________

Steve Goodier Publisher@LifeSupportSystem.com is a professional
speaker, consultant and author of numerous books. Visit his site for
more information, or to sign up for his FREE newsletter of Life, Love
and Laughter at http://LifeSupportSystem.com.