All you need is..

I’m often asking myself:

What can motivate to work for a long time?

Let me list here some well-known motivators:

• Money? Partly. It accelerates for short period. If it’s enough money, people are focused on other things, but we can say for sure: if your efforts not paid enough – it demotivates.
• Work itself? Agree..it motivates if it gives abilities to grow and ways to apply your knowledge.
• Team? Agree. It works, if your team helps you, adds challenge.
• Work environment. It’s not the top motivator but make sense.
• etc

Every time I write down these points I have the feeling that I’ve missed something really important.

One fine day, my colleagues shared with me their problems like below:

• My opinion was ignored in the area where I’m expert
• I receive no feedback about my efforts. Even no “Thank you”.
• I see no appreciation when I work on the weekend

I don’t know why, but after these words, my eyes opened:

Often people need nothing from you, but RESPECT.

They don’t need money, they need just your attention.

And now if you look back on motivators you will see that all of them are part of the same picture: all of these points exist if your company respects you.

Now let me summarize my personal feelings:

Respect is the best thing what motivates for a long period.

On another hand the most demotivative thing is Disrespect.

Let me describe areas where Respect should be demonstrated:

1. Respect for your work efforts and achievements: your efforts and achievements are not ignored, but evaluated with appropriate feedback and salary. Your past achievements are not forgotten as well.
2. Respect for your professional opinion: your opinion and knowledge are not ignored, but used in the right place.
3. Respect for your time: the time you have is important and carefully used by colleagues.
4. Respect for your personality: your individuality, personal feelings and goals are not ignored, but respected.

And now let me add a short conclusion:

Don’t forget to demonstrate your Respect. It’s highly important for your collegues.

If your manager demonstrates disrespect – it’s totally wrong.  You have the rights to ask him for respect, for feedback or attention at least.

Let me end with the nice phrase from the Godfather movie:

… But, now you come to me, and you say: “Don Corleone, give me justice.” But you don’t ask with respect.

Please see the whole scene. I think it can be a good definition of “Respect” and how it’s important.