What are your motives

I spend a lot of time trying to figure out why people behave the way they do. But I don't do it directly I do it indirectly. Here's the scenario I spend hours doing research coming to a carefully considered conclusion based on the data and my wealth of professional experience. Are you with me? I present my findings to my boss or the management team or the HR people and they come to a completely different conclusion rejecting my findings often with little discussion.

My next step is spending minutes (if I'm lucky) or weeks trying to figure out how I got it wrong. What am I missing? Where did I turn the wrong corner? What part of my brain is missing that brings me to these crazy conclusion? Guess what? It ain't me it's them. I'm not trying to figure me out I trying to figure them out. Things don't add-up but it's not me with the bad calculator it's them. The batteries are fine the brain waves are flowing perfectly and most of all the intentions are pure.

The difference is not the interpretation of the data or the assessment of the situation. The difference is motive. I would say goal but the word goal lends credibility and respect to an area were its not warranted. In my book the application of goals in a business setting has to do with the good of the whole most of the time, in most healthy organizations. What I'm talking about is motive or the application of one's own desire and self interest ahead of all else. Any decision or conclusion that starts with the "what is best for me here" thought is driven by personal motives not organizational goals. I call is management malpractice.

A few weeks ago a dear friend of mine who I have known for almost 20 years informed me that there is something I have no clue about. I asked what? He said most guys in jobs like yours think about themselves first and the business second. He knew what a foreign concept this is for me having never approach my corporate responsibilities from this vantage point. With my awareness now heightened I can see motive thinking all around me. Suddenly really goofy stuff makes sense in a stupid and irresponsible way. It's not me, it's them, yep.

There's more motive based decision making out there than you realize. People build an entire career with it. Just take a minute to notice and you'll be quite surprised by what you percieve. Start looking at things through the motive filter and a whole lot of stuff starts making sense and you clearly see it ain't you it's them.

Thanks for reading.