Poor Motivation Strategy: Be Happy, or I’ll Kill You
I don't usually spend a lot of time dealing with suggestive management techniques - I was a manager, and it's not easy if you're not a natural at it, or you don't have the ability to become really good at it. It's not an easy thing to do, and it's often thankless as you're in the middle of the work-flow - not really doing the work, and not at the top, so you tend to get it from both sides. That having been said, I heard of a motivation strategy that has to be one of the historically worst in human history: fear.
Sure, it's a decent short-term motivator: fight or flight. It's built into all of us. But to use it in business is a sign of desperation. Which is never a good thing. Today I heard someone say "I need you to be excited about doing this - or I'll find someone who is."
When I was talking to other people later in the day, a friend coined the phrase "Be Happy, or I'll Kill You!" - and I had to laugh. It seems so non-sensical when you put it that way, and that's the way it was really put forth. I know people get under stress and they say and do things that they wish they hadn't, and there's always time later for apologies. I'm just worried that this isn't that time. I'm worried that it's going to get worse before it gets better, and if that's the case, then some folks are in for a very rough ride, indeed.
I know management can be hard. I know I'm not any good at it. I've known some people that were really good at it, and some that weren't. I just hear these things and I think Uh oh... this can't end well...