The 89% Motivation Secret
I was recently looking through my archives and came across a letter I wrote on January 5, 1987, during a challenging period at Larsen & Toubro. We were grappling with a fundamental question: how do we genuinely boost productivity, not by increments, but by leaps? The industrial environment was fraught with complexities, and the old levers of command and control were failing us.
In a day-long brainstorming session with about 60 colleagues, we confronted a stark reality. We concluded that punishment could motivate a mere 1% of the workforce, and a conventional reward system might influence another 10%. This left a staggering 89% of human potential untapped, locked away behind something far more powerful and elusive: attitudes.
The Wisdom of Working Smarter
The crucial insight was that the attitude that needed the most significant change was not that of the workers, but our own—the managers and supervisors. We operated under the implicit belief that we alone knew what was best, that decision-making was our sacred prerogative.
In my letter, I quoted Walter Fallen, the Chairman of Eastman Kodak at the time, who wisely said, "Working Smarter means imparting a strong sense of teamwork and giving employees more say about how they do their jobs." His words perfectly encapsulated the cultural shift we needed. It wasn't about driving people harder; it was about unlocking their collective intelligence.
The core idea I wanted to convey is something I feel a sense of validation about today. I had brought up this thought decades ago—that true motivation is intrinsic and that leadership’s primary role is to cultivate an environment where people feel empowered and heard. I had already seen that the old hierarchical model was unsustainable. Now, seeing how modern management theories champion psychological safety, servant leadership, and employee engagement, it's striking how relevant that earlier insight still is. Reflecting on it today, I feel a renewed urgency to revisit these foundational ideas.
The Timeless Truth
Reading that old letter, Working Smarter, I am struck by how that 1987 challenge remains the central challenge for leaders today. The tools have changed, the workplaces have evolved, but human nature has not. The desire to be heard, to contribute meaningfully, and to be a part of the decision-making process is universal.
The path to exceptional performance doesn't lie in sophisticated software or rigid processes alone. It lies in dismantling the hierarchical attitudes that stifle collaboration and trust. It's about having the humility to accept that the best ideas can come from anywhere and that our primary job as leaders is to listen. That was the key to “Working - Together - Better” then, and it remains the undisputed truth now.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
Of course, if you wish, you can debate this topic with my Virtual Avatar at : hemenparekh.ai
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