Fear Motivation

Can fear motivate people? And can it be used as a tool to motivate employees at workplace? To answer the first question, yes. Fear does seem to motivate people.

Let us say you are diabetic and you have your health priorities in reverse order, ie., you are allergic to exercise and not to sweets and food. The result is you would end up eating a lot and do not worry about any physical work-outs.  You may not listen to anyone or your own self till the day you hear from your Doctor that it’s a question of life and death. You either start doing daily walking or work-outs and control your food or be prepared to reach your grave.  I am sure you know what the result would be. In almost all cases, we are sure to see the person crash-dieting, not just walking but running too. While all the other motivation could have failed, the fear motivation has succeeded.

Let us say you are student and even if you were to dislike studying, I am sure,  you are bound to take your books right before the exams. If you don’t do that, you are bound to fail in exams. You see fear motivation working here.

Fear motivation is one wherein you get motivated to do something because of the fear. The fear of facing the consequences of not doing it.  You don’t exercise, you become unhealthy. You don’t prepare for the exam, you will fail. If you don’t perform well, you will lose your job.

However, can we use it as a motivation tool at workplace?

A long time ago, Peter Drucker said, “Treat employees as volunteers”.  I see it as a very powerful statement because it redefines entirely how we need to manage and lead people. If you could treat your employees as volunteers and yet produce the results, no doubt, you are an effective leader irrespective of your title or position in the hierarchy. 

Even in Peter Drucker’s case, the fear motivation has done a miracle.  I vaguely remember from what I’ve read a very long time ago that Peter Drucker started his career as a kind of jr. journalist wherein he was to write and report various things. When his performance was not up to the mark, his Boss called him and told him just one thing straight.  “Your work is not up to the expectation. You either improve or leave in the next few weeks”. I am sure you could have guessed the result. Yes. He improved his performance drastically.

Even after this personal experience, if Peter Drucker could say that “Treat your employees as volunteers”, it only means that fear motivation is not a tool to be used to motivate employees at Workplace.

Fear motivation can only ensure bare minimum expected performance level but Excellence cannot be accomplished and effective engagement of employees cannot happen.  More than fear, one should be motivated by their inner purposes in terms of what they want to achieve in their life. It’s long-term and sustainable.

What do you think of fear motivation? Have you ever been motivated in your personal life/ professional life because of fear? Do share your experience. 

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