What do you think motivates you or your employees to go to work in the morning? Pick one of the following:
A) Honor: honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions
B) Reward: something given or received in return or recompense for service, merit, hardship, etc.
Which do you think motivates people the most in the short term? And in the long term?
I recently got back from a trip to Japan—a culture and heritage based on honor instead of reward. In Japan, it's considered rude to tip your waiter, the door man, even your assistant. Why? Because it's embarrassing for them to think they dishonored you by not doing their job well.
While in Japan I had the best food and hotel service of my entire life and I was treated with the upmost respect from the moment I landed till the moment I left—even at the airport. I think it's because of the culture of honor.
Most people, owners, and companies build a culture based on rewards and forget the value of building a culture based in honor. And that's a huge difference.
In the long run, people being motivated by honor will always surpass the results of those being motivated by reward.
I hope you agree.
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