What motivates me, what motivates you?

21 years in Automotive

21 years in the automotive business – and what have I learned? Well it has been both interesting and challenging at the same time. In my current situation, I see myself looking for my next assignment, which of course sparks some self-reflection and some pondering on where I truly belong in the work field and which past professional experiences stood out in regards to my own personal development and significantly changed my perception of, which working environments truly allow me to thrive. It is an inner journey that takes me all the way back to the beginning of my career and past the many exiting challenges, that I have been involved with, to find what truly motivates me.

The dreamer’s disease

I cannot help hearing the song “You only get what you give” by the New Radicals when writing this post. There is no doubt, that I too have “the dreamer’s disease”, I guess that, this is why that song resounds with my own trials in life of finding the right mix of inner strength and ability to pursue my dreams. Professionals in the automotive business in many cases trace their passion back to fond childhood memories, where they were mesmerized by cars in one way or the other – it starts with a passion and for some it becomes a lifestyle. To me, obviously, cars are highly seductive. They appeal to me on so many emotional levels and they are much more than a commodity or mere source of income. If you are able to take it in and know the amount of attention, working hours and experience that are invested by the professionals in all areas from manufacturing to sales, you would know, that it is much more than just an occupation, it is an investment at a personal level, but as they say: “Choose a job you love and you don’t have to work a single day”. I guess that is why the “giving” bit has felt quite straight-forward to me. Now at a more matured place in my life, I have to look closer at harvesting the future rewards and care for my own aspirations some more.  

Work with people in a mutual and reciprocal way

It is a little bit different with people as you are not each other’s higher purpose or mission, but rather share a common goal, that is both individually satisfying and where we rely on others to assist us in our mission. Here the key-factors are integrity and respect. If you have integrity, you will play by the same rules towards others as you would expect them to apply towards yourself. If you have respect for others you are willing to both listen and learn – you are willing to share other’s perspective, which in many cases is the basis for growth both interpersonally and independently. The realization that we need to constantly evolve and that the mirroring effect of our surroundings pushes us to become the best version of yourself is ever important, but having healthy boundaries is equally important in regards to what you acknowledge and what you ignore. With age and experience that line becomes more and more defined. So, my motivation is definitely influenced by “being on the same page” with my co-workers. This also applies in regards to the people, that I manage and the people managing me. You simply have to take care of each other’s needs, you have to let down your guards and you have to be forthright about your weaknesses and strengths so that you can position yourself where you will have the biggest positive impact. 

There are only two problems in this world – ego and politics

The best organizations and leaders, that I have worked for, have rewarded loyalty, dedication and hard work, even when times were hard and results difficult to achieve – they still recognized the personal effort and took it upon themselves to understand and deal with the challenges at hand, they did not wait to see people stumble and fall, they were at the very forefront of matters and fought right next to you, they had your back and defended you when it was appropriate, they were not steered by ego, but motivated by common results, by teamwork, they did not need to take credit or feel the limelight and they certainly were not putting together an organization based on who would not threaten their own position or expose their own weaknesses, there were no politics, no hierarchy, no hidden agendas or favoring of some over others – only hard work and genuine interest for your fellow co-workers. Some of my personal lessons going back have definitely been hard-earned, but thankfully a lot of these lessons can be applied in how I need to be, to evolve and to be inspired and to be able to motivate others.

Being Authentic – you might ask for it, but is that just a cliché?

To avoid just playing with words, I would like to ask the question, what is authenticity, really? Isn’t it about being true to yourself, to allow yourself and your emotions to respond without filters and facades on what you are faced with in life? People who are authentic are quite often passionate people – meaning that they are, what they are, with all they consist of- both in a positive and negative sense. We are living in a world, that increasingly encourages a skewed projection of ourselves and our lives on e.g. social media, so how does that work together with being authentic? In the work place – I have found that it is often the most productive way, to instead lay out certain principles, that you work by in regards to business and personal integrity. You have to be able to perform under all circumstances and authenticity does not always allow that. So instead I insist on being true to my word and I treat others like I myself would like to be treated. It may sound quite simple, but the realization of these principles is much more demanding than it appears. Therefore, to work with or for people, who also promote such principles is one of the most motivating things that I can possibly think of.

For the love of emotional products and great brand stories

Who doesn’t love the entrepreneurial spirit and the ability to create an object of desire? In my world that is something very special, it’s almost magical. A business entity becomes a brand by its ability to describe its vision and makes it credible by the journey it has undertaken. The product itself is the manifestation of how the visionary imagined his own dream initially and with time it takes on more and more traits to someday become a direction and formula for how you build on a tradition and still evolve. Many of the fascinating brands that I have worked with have truly mastered this. Especially in these times of electrification and sustainability many brands are tested on their ability to evolve alongside technology and changed consumer behavior. This is where I thrive, this is where I excel, when I am able to buy into that story and that past and be able to display that universe like it was my own, as it becomes my identity too. That is why I am marketer at heart and a neerdy tech-freak/gearhead, that is also why I deliver great customer and sales experiences for those who truly grasp the resources and ingenuity behind the product, because in that sense I understand how to make the product come alive. That is ultimately also why I am a convincing communicator, who gets underneath peoples skin and make others see and believe.

What would you do, if money was no object?

Psychologists Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer interviewed over 600 managers and found a shocking result. 95 percent of managers misunderstood what motivates employees. They thought what motivates employees was making money, getting raises and bonuses. In fact, after analyzing over 12,000 employee diary entries, they discovered that the number one work motivator was emotion, not financial incentive: it’s the feeling of making progress every day toward a meaningful goal. In Fact, Dan Pink found that actually the exact opposite is true: “The larger the monetary reward, the poorer the performance. – money doesn’t motivate us, at all, instead emotions do.” For me I find motivation in autonomy – my ability to steer my own life, but in this relation also position myself in a project as to which value I might add. I also find motivation in mastery – in evolving and honing my skillset and seeing it put to work.

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this. I would strongly encourage you to share your own motivation in your work life. As part of my network you are part of broadening my scope on work life and a source of inspiration. I thank you for your kind attention and for being a part of my expanding network on linkedin.

Kind regards,

Jannik Voss Brogaard