Emergent: July 2019
This month: why we procrastinate, better ways to motivate employees than with cash, and why being wrong makes you a better leader.
Emergent is a monthly newsletter that features Noah’s ideas, writing, podcasts, and other things that are capturing his attention. Subscribe here.
Motivation at work can be challenging — especially as we in the Northern Hemisphere are swathed in summer weather, and thoughts of vacations and trips to the beach continually push into our minds.
So, I’ve been thinking more about how motivation (and procrastination) work — both for me and for my teams. Check out the articles in this month’s newsletter and let me know what you think.
If you like what you see or have some suggestions, drop me a line at noah@paloalto.com.
For previous editions of Emergent, you can view the archive here.
Thanks for reading!
Noah
1. This month’s thoughts on procrastination
Why we procrastinate and how to stop
“People often think procrastination is about time management, laziness, or a weak will but that is not the best way to understand procrastination.”
Aditya Shukla’s article in Cognition Today goes on to explore the emotions behind procrastination, and why we should think about emotional regulation to solve procrastination problems. It’s an interesting read that will make you rethink procrastination and how to deal with it. Read more now.
2. This month’s management advice
Forget cash — here are better ways to motivate employees
The obvious tool most managers reach for when they want to reward someone on their team is the company checkbook. The thought is that an extra bonus or a gift card will be the best way to thank someone for a job well done.
However, according to new research from Harvard Business School, cash isn’t always the best reward. The research shows that employees don’t always feel recognized or rewarded with cash, and that there are better ways of saying “thank you” for doing good work.
Read the article to learn what you can do to motivate employees and how to make cash incentives meaningful if you still want to hand out a check. Read now.
3. This month’s thoughts on leadership
Why being wrong will make you a better leader
Leadership is often equated with having all the answers and being right most, if not all, of the time. Even Amazon’s leadership principles state that leaders are “right” most of the time, though to be fair they also want leaders to “work to disconfirm their beliefs.”
But “being right most of the time” isn’t usually the best leadership approach and can blind leaders to mistakes. Gustavo Razzetti’s article on this topic takes another look why leaders should be O.K. with being wrong. Read more.
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