{"id":4498,"date":"2023-07-26T18:41:12","date_gmt":"2023-07-26T18:41:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.carolinegourlay.co.uk\/?p=4498"},"modified":"2023-07-26T18:41:12","modified_gmt":"2023-07-26T18:41:12","slug":"producing-great-work-or-making-things-happen-which-motivates-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carolinegourlay.co.uk\/producing-great-work-or-making-things-happen-which-motivates-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Producing great work or making things happen? Which motivates you?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Think back to the last time you felt really pleased* with your work. What caused you to be pleased? Did you produce some really good quality work – a design, a report, an ad campaign? Or did you make something happen – hit a target, win a new client? I don’t want to suggest that these things are mutually exclusive, but there is a fundamental difference. One is about outputs<\/em>, the other about outcomes<\/em>. The nature of you role will determine which one you focus on – and get measured on. If you’re a designer, you’ll be judged on the quality, and perhaps quantity, of your work. If you’re in sales, you’ll be measured on outcomes. But my sense is that this is also a matter of individual motivation and that people who are motivated by doing good work don’t always understand people who are motivated by making things happen and vice versa.<\/p>\n

*If you’re struggling to think of anything, you may want to read these articles on imposter syndrome<\/a> and dealing with your inner critic<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Two career paths<\/h2>\n

I’ve been mulling this since I gave a talk at a conference a few months ago for Women in Property<\/a> – architects, engineers, property lawyers – about leadership in professional environments. I contrasted two fictitious friends:<\/p>\n