Introduction

"Motivate me right" © 2007 Stas Davydov
Translation © 2007 Olga Mexina

I’ve worked in the software development business for more than ten years. Undoubtedly, this sphere has its own specific character. First and foremost, everything happens very fast here. Companies soar high quickly and sink down even quicker. People change jobs frequently. Products become outdated before they reach the market.

Our job consists of pure conversion of the human time into digital data flow. The same product can be sold twice, thrice… a hundred thousand times. Possibly, it is we, who are responsible for the growing entropy :-)

Regardless of the details, I am more than sure that my research on motivation can be used in other spheres. I checked :-) After all, everyone has similar needs, even if the priorities are different.

During all these years I was rarely completely satisfied with my job. The question that I asked and keep asking myself is “why?”

I found different answers at different times. Now, when I can generalize, specify and define my observations, I can certainly say that there is a problem in motivation; it’s missing, it’s not there, there is not enough of it, it’s nowhere to be found.

The companies that I worked for paid very little attention to the employee motivation. The result was fast to follow; the product quality went down, people didn’t enjoy doing their work, companies lost money and qualified personnel - no one gave a shit. In the end, everyone loses, and the companies most of all.

I got an impression that people, who come to power (in a company) completely forget that once they were average employees.

Peters principle: In any hierarchy, each individual rises to his own level of incompetence, and then remains there.

Consequence: Eventually, all the positions will be filled with employees, who are incompetent in the performance of their duties.

It is astonishing, but there are many sensible books devoted to the management problem with the purpose of achieving the highest possible effectiveness. But it seems that the managers do not take them seriously and do not use them as a guide to action.

Why am I writing this book?

Firstly, I am writing it for myself. As a keepsake.
Secondly, I have to believe that I have a chance to pass the information to those, who are in power, at the moment, and make them think, at the least.
Thirdly, I am doing it for others like me. My experience may keep you from making the same mistakes. My inspiration may help you to take a step that you are possibly hesitating to take.

Let this make our life better. After all, there is not much needed for pleasure or even happiness at work…

Attention! Uvaga!

In the book I often say, “Company this, company that…” Once, when I was speaking with Alexander Pozdnyakov (at that moment, StarSoft development director), he asked me, “When you say ‘company’, whom are you talking about? Me? The project manager? The president?” I remember that this question really confused me at that time. I didn’t know and I couldn’t answer. The company is the company – just some kind of an abstraction…

But, in fact, the question really hit the mark. I’ve done a lot of thinking since then :-) Now, when I say (and write) the word “company”, I mean, first of all, the people, who are responsible for making decisions that concern other people. In some companies, it’s just the managers, in others – all the employees.

The book is based on true events. The names of some people and companies were altered in accordance with their wishes. All the mentioned brand names belong to their franchisers.

I don’t want to offend anyone, but I am not afraid to do it either. If this book insulted you in any way, please, contact me (stas@motivateme.ru). As compensation, I will gladly lead a training session on effective motivation for your company.

No hard feelings! (It is possible that you really need it ;-)