Sui Generis

It’s Not All About the Money

Jan 30, 2010 People

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It’s quite old news by now, but Simon Cowell is quitting Idol.

Yes, the show will miss him. But what I want to mention here is why he’s leaving. As the article mentions, he’s walking away from one of the highest paid jobs in the world. But he’s leaving because he doesn’t have ownership of the program. He’s leaving because he’s essentially “just talent”.

I’m in full support of that decision, and I think that it’s really good to see. And I think it’s something we need to remember, whenever we’re dealing with (and even more so when we’re managing) others.

It’s not always about the money. Ownership of what you’re doing, knowing that you have a significant role – that’s just as, if not more important. More often than not, as a motivating factor, ownership trumps money.

What motivates you? And how do you motivate those you work with?