You’re Losing, Buddy!

We are all driven by different motivators (for example, affiliation, power, competition, recognition), but research illustrates that we all work a little harder when we think we are slightly behind. From the NBA to the manufacturing line, people and teams that are slightly behind have boosts in their motivation and performance. Jonah Berger from Wharton School of Business suggests that managers capitalize on this finding by using competitive feedback as an incentive tool. However, there is a caveat—managers shouldn’t overuse competitive feedback. There is a tipping point where employees who constantly hear that they are slightly behind become demotivated and give up trying.

For more information on this entry see Harvard Business Review, October 2011 issue.

Written by:  Dana M. Borchert, PhD