Is fear really the best motivator?

One watched with fascination the BBC 'imagine' production delving into the history and reputation of Machiavelli via the 500th anniversary of his politically seminal book 'the prince'.

One suggestion that stood out above all others was this. it is better for a leader to be feared than liked. it is better to engender respect through trepidation than kindness.

Is this true though? One can only relate to personal experience in the workplace. There has been an occasion upon which I was able to witness in action a man who would shame a Dickensian caricature of industrial despotism like Gradgrind with his sheer overwhelming awfulness. Was he feared by his workers? Yes, indisputably. did they then work all the harder for him because of this? Well, speaking as one of those aforementioned workers - no.

What developed was an us and them mentality and no desire or ability to pull together. instead most staff did the bare minimum to get by then looked for a way out.

yet working in other situations one has encountered leaders who perhaps awe their staff without terrifying them. They were definitely senior to you and to be respected. The best of these was a hospital manger who would defend her staff to the hilt against all comers. Then, if the transgressed or failed her, take them to one side and eviscerate them - without malice. Once criticism was delivered, that was it, one moved on and more often than not performed to a higher standard. Knowing however that your manager still had your back.

One has also worked for decidedly 'nice' people. Whilst there is a possibility that they could be taken advantage of, on a personal level one finds it easier to be motivated to want to help these people, to pull together and to aim for common goals (apologies for the horror of any corporate-speak that has seeped in here).

So is the key niceness, or fear? neither, the key is respect. Leaders need the respect of those they intend to lead and need to gain that respect by earning it through their own demonstrable ability.

http://www.theartsdesk.com/tv/imagine-whos-afraid-machiavelli-bbc-one