I got the first feedback on my book in English

My friend Lisa said:

I really like the tone you have in it. It's very interesting and something I haven't really seen written about before.

And what do you think about my book?

P.S. I'm still looking for a publisher or an agent who will find a publisher for my book.

"Motivate me right!" is published online in Russian

FYI: “Motivate me right!” is published online in Russian.

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 Products become outdated before they reach the market.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 ;-)

Table of Contents

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

1. Introduction.
2. Attraction. Interview motivation. Don’t promise me the sky; I won’t believe you. I won’t tell you the truth; no matter how hard you try. I may do it voluntarily. If I want to. You have to earn it. Or you’ll be sorry. Don’t lie to me. I can sense it.
3. Self-motivation. Everyone talks, but not many people know what it is. Neither do you.
4. Money. Does money motivate you? It can demotivate you instead. Possibly, money is the only thing that keeps me here. Don’t let it come to this. Or you will lose control over the situation quickly.
5. Employee contract. Take care to arrange it in the best interests of both sides. Take care to arrange it. Take care.
6. Lack of communication. Talk to me. Write to me. Inform me. It is important. Did I fail the assignment? Then why are you telling me this half a year later? If you penalize me, then give me an explanation. If you give an incentive, then give me an explanation as well. Perhaps, I can read your thoughts, but if you don’t articulate them, they will be ignored. To hell with them!
7. Feedback from bottom to top. What is my dream job? Convince me that you really care.
8. Working hours. Why am I still at the office at 3 AM? I am doing an interesting job. I am in the right spot. You will keep seeing me here at this time. If I go home as soon as the working day ends, then you are doing something wrong. My bus leaves at eleven, I don’t give a shit about anything else.
9. Favorite job. Let me do what I like, in the right spot, with the right people. Do you want to reduce my productivity to nothing? Give me a job that I don’t like. Do you want to do it twice as fast? Sit me with the wrong crowd.
10. Mutual respect. It is difficult to achieve, but very easy to lose.
11. Microclimate. Air conditioner is, surely, a cool thing. But even if your team consists of professionals that worship each other, you will reduce its productivity if you sit together people with different climatic preferences.
12. Benchmarking. All things are known by comparison. You cannot stop me from sharing my experience with my colleagues from other companies. You cannot stop me from reading books. Have no doubt that I will find a flaw, even if you consider your firm to be flawless, that’s what you think. You can ask around, spy, steal, after all, if you yourself don’t know what’s best.
13. Work unrelated to work. Don’t take away my favorite pastime. It does not cost you anything, really. I need it. Yes, I am doing it on my work time, but your prohibition will not guarantee you that I will spent the vacant time to your benefit. Support me as that may be to your advantage.
14. Responsibility. I am not afraid of it. If I can’t take responsibility because it does not exist, I won’t be happy. I’ll get used to it, though, and I will tell you to go fuck yourself, when you ask me about it. If I reject your offer to take responsibility for something, it is already a sign that I don’t give a shit about my job.
15. Management structure matters. If you don’t get it, read some books, please. Are you on the top? I can see your polka-dotted underwear through the whole in your pants. I won’t take you seriously. If you turn up your nose, you’ll step in shit. Some people will be ready to shove a pile right under your feet. Be closer and plainer, then, maybe, you will understand what I mean.
16. It’s time to scram. Quitting is the best way to get to know your company.
17. Appendix (Gadget); a verified method to evaluate the motivation of an individual, a team or even a whole company.
18. Afterword.
19. Feedback.
20. Index.

I'm interesting to find a publisher for my book so I'm open for any offers. Please, contact me directly davidovsv@yandex.ru.

Who am I and what I do

Hello!

I'm an author of hooligan book about motivation "Motivate me right!". I wrote it on Russian but I want to publish it in English too. I met very good translator Olga Mexina who will translate my book to English.

This blog is for publishing parts of my book. I hope you'll enjoy it because I enjoy it as many people who read it on Russian :)

I'll post contents of the book soon.

I'm interesting to find a publisher for my book so I'm open for any offers. Please, contact me directly
davidovsv@yandex.ru.

Regards, Stas Davydov http://davidovsv.narod.ru/