Page 113 - How Great Leaders Build Abundant Organizations That Win

THE WHY OF WORK

Repeat this exercise tomorrow to give your thoughts time to
percolate.
If you have any interest in trying this exercise, which we
hope you will, please do not read further until you do at
least one of these writing exercises. You will glean a lot more
information from Part 2 below if you do Part 1 first.
Psychologist David McClelland analyzed writing samples
for evidences of what motivates human beings. He found
that the needs for achievement, connection, and power
showed up repeatedly in what people wrote, providing the
basis for his theories about human motivation. While we
won’t try to be that scientific here, take a moment to look at
the scenarios you created in this exercise.

PART 2
• • Looking through what you wrote, put an I for insight in the margin
for any words from your success scenario that refer to creativity,
imagination, symbols, self-awareness, balance, thoughtfulness,
thinking for thinking’s sake, or having great ideas.
• • Put an A for achievement in the margin for any words that refer to
setting or achieving goals, learning so as to improve, developing
skills, exercising resilience to keep trying at a difficult task, or
gaining recognition for accomplishments.
• • Put a C for connection in the margin for words referring to good
relationships with others, spending time with people, meeting
people or bringing people together, deepening relationships, feel-
ings of mutual care and support, or being with people you love.
• • Put an E for empowerment in the margin for words referring
to solving world problems, making a difference, mentoring or
developing others, seeing people succeed, providing resources or
services to others, or gaining recognition for social responsibility.

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