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Leader’s Self-Insight 5.3 Getty Images

The following items describe reasons why you work. 9. I am completely focused on
Answer the questions twice, the first time for doing work the task at hand. _______ _______
(or homework) that is not your favorite, and the second 10. The experience leaves me
time for doing a hobby or sports activity that you enjoy. feeling great. _______ _______
Consider each item thoughtfully and respond according to
your inner motivation and experience. Indicate whether Scoring and Interpretation
each item below is Mostly False or Mostly True for you. The items above reflect motivation shaped by either
love or fear. Your “fear of failure” score is the number
Mostly Mostly
of Mostly True answers for questions 1–5. Your “love of
False True
1. I feel it is important to per- task” score is the number of Mostly True answers for
form well so I don’t look bad. _______ _______ questons 6–10. A score of 4 or 5 would be considered
high for either love or fear, and a score of 0–2 would be
2. I have to force myself to
considered low. You would probably score more points
complete the task. _______ _______
for “love of task” for your hobby or sports activity than
3. I don’t want to have a poor
for homework.
outcome or get a poor grade. _______ _______
Some people are motivated by high internal stan-
4. I don’t want to embarrass
dards and fear of not meeting those standards. This
myself or do less well than
may be called fear of failure, which often spurs people
others. _______ _______
to great accomplishment. Love of task provides a
5. The experience leaves
great intrinsic pleasure but won’t always lead to high
me feeling relieved that it
achievement. Love of task is related to the idea of
is over. _______ _______
“flow” wherein people become fully engaged and
6. My attention is absorbed derive great satisfaction from their activity. Would
entirely in what I am doing. _______ _______ love or fear influence your choice to become a leader
7. I really enjoy the experience. _______ _______ or how you try to motivate others? Discuss with
8. Time seems to pass more other students the relative importance of love or fear
quickly than normal. _______ _______ motivation in your lives.

Love in the workplace means genuinely caring for others and sharing one’s knowl-
edge, understanding, and compassion to enable others to grow and succeed.
Traditionally, leadership in many organizations has been based on fear. An
unspoken notion among many senior-level executives is that fear is a good thing
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and benefits the organization. Indeed, fear can be a powerful motivator. When

organizational success depended primarily on people mindlessly following orders,
leading with fear often met the organization’s needs. Today, however, success
depends on the knowledge, mindpower, commitment, and enthusiasm of every-
one in the organization. A fear-based organization loses its best people, and the
knowledge they take with them, to other fi rms. In addition, even if people stay
with the organization, they typically don’t perform up to their real capabilities.
One major drawback of leading with fear is that it creates avoidance be-
havior, because no one wants to make a mistake, and this inhibits growth and
change. Leaders can learn to bind people together for a shared
purpose through more positive forces such as caring and compas-
To learn about your own motivations
sion, listening, and connecting to others on a personal level. The Action Memo
emotion that attracts people to take risks, learn, grow, and move concerning love versus fear, complete the
the organization forward comes from love, not fear. exercise in Leader’s Self-Insight 5.3.
Showing respect and trust not only enables people to perform
better; it also allows them to feel emotionally connected with their
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