Bringing Out the Best in People

It is not often that I actually read a book that is prescribed by a teacher, but when I get the vibe that the teacher is there to show us more than just a science; I listen up. Sitting through the first class, knowing that BADM 772 was going to teach me both in education and more importantly, life lessons, I began to read. Selecting three chapters from the book, Bringing Out the Best in People, written by Alan Loy McGinnis, I read without falling asleep. For the first time in a long time, I agreed with everything that the author had written. This book gives pointers on how to “bring out the best” and does it in a way that keeps you interested, by telling stories and giving examples. I chose the three chapters carefully. I will now detail through experiences and thoughts about “The Psychology of Motivation”, “When to Praise and When to Reprimand”, and “How to Get People to Cooperate with Each Other.”
The key to motivation is often found in knowing individuals. As mentioned in the book above, people can play major roles in motivating others. Sure some people just have it, but those are the few and far between. I feel that asking people or figuring out what motivates others through observations can offer a key to success. Being told that I can’t do something, or the idea of competition personally motivates me. Others will have different reasons and finding that can make you a very successful leader. I challenge anyone in a leading role to find personal motivators and then fuel individuals to feed on that.
Of course, it is important to be looking out for the well being of these individuals as well. If a manager is only trying to exploit people he and them alike, will be extremely unsuccessful. Moreover, a great leader will always hold the interests of his followers close to his own. Incorporating his goals with theirs is a recipe for success, this is often found with great warriors or athletes. An example of this would be Michael Jordan. Would the