The Unexamined Life...

by Hap Cooper

I was preparing a module on motivation for a group of Sales Managers this week and was referred to an interesting exercise that I thought I would pass along.  The exercise was developed by Thiagi, a well-known designer of training games (his entire name defies pronunciation, but you can check him out at www.thiagi.com).

It is Thiagi's contention that life can always be looked at through a two by two matrix.  In the case of motivation, the matrix is a juxtaposition of the things you have and the things you want.  So the top right quadrant (Q1) of the 2x2 is the box in which you write the things you want that you have.  The bottom right (Q2) contains the things you want but don't have.  The bottom left (Q3) is comprised of the things you don't have and consciously don't want, and the upper left (4) is for the stuff you have but don't want.

So, draw yourself a foursquare matrix.  You can enter anything that comes to mind.  Maybe in Q1 you have and want a good job, a happy family, a sense of humor, your health, a new MacBook Pro laptop, season tickets and  the ability to solve quadratic equations in your head.  In Q2 you may want a house at the beach, an administrative assistant who can read your mind and the ability to complete a triathlon.  In Q3 you may worry about getting a disease that runs in the family, facing a turndown in your business, losing your hair or having an in-law move in with you.  And of course, in Q4 you may have a few extra pounds you'd like to shed, a chore you'd like to offload, paperwork you'd like to go away or a barking dog in the neighborhood that wakes you up every morning.

Take a minute to fill in your grid—I'll wait here.

In Thiagi's instruction sheet, he says that the first diagnostic insight comes form the fact that you are reading on without having done the required work you were just assigned.  What does that say about you?  Are you an independent thinker?  A free spirit?  Lazy?

When you have filled out your 2 x 2, think about how it felt.  What quadrants were easy? Hard?  Were you generally balanced or were some quadrants overloaded?  What does that say about you?  If you had more on the right than on the left, are you more positively disposed and motivated by the promise of a better future state?  If you were heavy on the left does that say you are more cautious--or perhaps even negative in your outlook.  Does that mean you are more motivated by the threat of a negative future state?  On which of these items are you spending most of you time?  Where should you be spending more of your day?

When you think about trying to motivate an employee (or a child), would knowing how they might complete this matrix give you the information you needed to influence or inspire?   If you had a conversation to discuss this subject, would this person feel comfortable enough to tell you the truth?

Let me know what thoughts you have once you try it.  How  would you use this in a training session?

Hap Cooper is the co-founder and President of Prospect Street Consulting, a research training and consulting firm helping sales organizations become more profitable through the improvement of process and skill.