Your Next Big Thing. Matthew Mockridge

Nice Boss Doesn’t Motivate!

      The moment the boss places the interests of employees above the interests of the company, he or she also puts them above the interests of the customers and, thus, violates the basis and raison d’être of the company.

      Shares in the Company Are Not Motivation!

      I once thought that equity in my companies would motivate my employees, but the opposite is the case. Most people don’t want to be entrepreneurs. Managers want to manage, without risk. So let them do that, and motivate them instead with big visions and real praise (see above). Shares simply do not motivate them. Besides, underperforming employees would never be satisfied with the offered shares. If too many shares are distributed in the minor leagues, and only among the midfielders, the only real result is a group of top-talent players that are not motivated. Game over.

      In his classic book, the business bible Good to Great (a must-read!), Jim Collins talks about the “bus” as an important image for visualizing a good team. Put the right people on the bus and keep the wrong people off! Then, put the right people in the right seats! This precaution ensures that the bus arrives, even if no one knows where it’s going. I would go even further, and point out how important it is for the bus to take the right route to pick up new people (see recruitment), and that the bus’ climate, legroom and general comfort are optimal (keyword: motivation).

      Start your bus on its journey and go pick up your team—your personal A-Team!

10. Less Is More

      “Necessity is the mother of invention.” An old saying, but absolutely right! When your back is to the wall, you will find a way to get results. Inertia is always a danger to success, especially financial success. Don’t get stuck questioning things when the result doesn’t have to be perfect and there’s nothing at stake.

      With my team, the most influential, instructive, intensive, and above all, the fastest period of growth was when we were just starting out and had very few resources. Our original office was a Starbucks café (because of the free Internet). For nights on end, we filled and labeled the first NEONSPLASH–Paint-Party® bottles in my cellar.

      We drove hundreds of thousands of kilometers, from party to party. We slept in our cars and lived in the office. We set up, ran, and dismantled the shows, taught ourselves everything, and reinvested every dollar in the company. Our fire was ablaze, not just because we were motivated, but also because there was no other way.