Carrot, Sticks or Something Else?

There’s a seminal Harvard Business Review article from 1968 entitled, ‘One More Time: How Do You Motivate Employees?’.

The author, management professor Frederick Herzberg, describes how he can get his Schnauzer puppy to move by metaphorically kicking it (he calls this negative KITA – Kick in the Ass – motivation)[*].

Or he can get his puppy to move by bribing it with a treat (positive KITA).

Either way, he points out, ‘I am the one who is motivated and the dog is the one who moves’.

In case it's not clear, for 'puppy', read 'employee'.

Carrots and Sticks

This article came to mind again when I was reading a recent BBC report entitled, ‘How these schools are improving behaviour and attendance’.

Kudos to the schools featured who are focusing on carrots rather than sticks (and it’s clear that our children have had enough of sticks in recent years) but it made me wonder what Professor Herzberg might have said?

It also made me reflect on two important projects I’m working on currently around behaviour, attendance, belonging and schools.

Best Behaviour

We were asked by Policy Hubs to record a training programme for schools around behaviour.

Called Best Behaviour, we’re putting the finishing touches to it now and it really highlights the Independent Thinking mantra of, ‘There is another way’.

(It’s why, rather than get involved in online spats about what works and what shouldn't, we have just got on with publishing best-selling books by the likes of Paul Dix, Mark Finnis, Ginny Bootman and Dave Whitaker.)

Recording interviews with both secondary and primary school leaders, teachers and students about how attendance and behaviour have improved considerably, there was lots of talk of values, relationships, kindness, safety, empathy and warmth.

But there was no mention of rewards.

Not one.

Behave? Why Wouldn't You?

What came across was, on the whole, the children and young people behave because, well, why wouldn’t you?

And then I’m currently 51,000 words deep into editing the No Other book, all about the many, many inspiring ways schools across the country are addressing the issue of belonging.

Again, many instances of how schools are improving behaviour, attendance and achievement.

Again, lots of examples of values, relationships, kindness, safety, empathy and warmth.

No mention of rewards.

From the Inside

As Herzberg points out, what makes us want to do the work, from the inside, are ‘achievement, recognition for achievement, the work itself, responsibility, and growth or advancement’.

This is what I witnessed in the schools we interviewed for Best Behaviour.

This is what I am reading about as I edit No Other.

Carrots and sticks are great for getting children and puppies to move.

But, if you are looking for something deeper, there is always another way.