On a recent episode of AMC’s series, The Pitch, the head of one ad agency crowed, “We hate to lose.” Then they lost. Negative motivation — working to keep something bad from happening — is rarely as powerful as working to make something good happen. One puts you on defense; the other puts you on offense. Trying to avoid pain can cloud your judgment; trying to create something positive usually brings clarity. If you’re leading a sales team — or any team, for that matter — does their motivation come from trying to stave off disaster or working toward a celebration? The difference will affect the outcome.
