Adam Galinsky

I think it's a big gap and part of the gap is a complicated one, right? Because at one level we want efficiency, right? And we want equity, right? And fairness. And so the question is when we start tailoring or personalizing motivation or rewards, we can get into those problematic areas. But let's just start off with like, how do we understand the motivations of others?

The single biggest mistake we make is we think everyone's a mirror image of ourselves. One of the examples I give in the book, which I really love is that I've been dating my now wife for about just over two months. And we were going, I had to give a talk in DC and she was going to come down. It was a birthday.

The single biggest mistake we make is we think everyone's a mirror image of ourselves. One of the examples I give in the book, which I really love is that I've been dating my now wife for about just over two months. And we were going, I had to give a talk in DC and she was going to come down. It was a birthday.

The single biggest mistake we make is we think everyone's a mirror image of ourselves. One of the examples I give in the book, which I really love is that I've been dating my now wife for about just over two months. And we were going, I had to give a talk in DC and she was going to come down. It was a birthday.

And I found out that one of my favorite comedians, Demetri Martin was going to be performing, but the show was sold out. So I spent like 36 hours doing everything I could. I have like friends of mine with Amex cards, trying to get tickets, like whatever I could do. And I finally was able to get two tickets and I thought I'd hit the boyfriend jackpot, but it turned out my wife hates standup comedy.

And I found out that one of my favorite comedians, Demetri Martin was going to be performing, but the show was sold out. So I spent like 36 hours doing everything I could. I have like friends of mine with Amex cards, trying to get tickets, like whatever I could do. And I finally was able to get two tickets and I thought I'd hit the boyfriend jackpot, but it turned out my wife hates standup comedy.

And I found out that one of my favorite comedians, Demetri Martin was going to be performing, but the show was sold out. So I spent like 36 hours doing everything I could. I have like friends of mine with Amex cards, trying to get tickets, like whatever I could do. And I finally was able to get two tickets and I thought I'd hit the boyfriend jackpot, but it turned out my wife hates standup comedy.

It's just like, I love it. She hates it. She loves opera. I hate opera, right? So if you can imagine getting me opera for my birthday, right? And so one of the biggest problems is we really have to let go of our own perspective. And so one is they're not just like me, but they're also not just like each other. And anyone that has two kids immediately recognizes they come from us, right?

It's just like, I love it. She hates it. She loves opera. I hate opera, right? So if you can imagine getting me opera for my birthday, right? And so one of the biggest problems is we really have to let go of our own perspective. And so one is they're not just like me, but they're also not just like each other. And anyone that has two kids immediately recognizes they come from us, right?

It's just like, I love it. She hates it. She loves opera. I hate opera, right? So if you can imagine getting me opera for my birthday, right? And so one of the biggest problems is we really have to let go of our own perspective. And so one is they're not just like me, but they're also not just like each other. And anyone that has two kids immediately recognizes they come from us, right?

But how different each of those kids are. It's just one example. My older son, you can... He's generally outgoing, but you can like go to a party and he'll just walk right in and start interacting with people. And my son Aiden, it'll take him 45 minutes to go in that party.

But how different each of those kids are. It's just one example. My older son, you can... He's generally outgoing, but you can like go to a party and he'll just walk right in and start interacting with people. And my son Aiden, it'll take him 45 minutes to go in that party.

But how different each of those kids are. It's just one example. My older son, you can... He's generally outgoing, but you can like go to a party and he'll just walk right in and start interacting with people. And my son Aiden, it'll take him 45 minutes to go in that party.

So here's one of my great leadership inventions I did as a parent is I realized I just have to get to every party 30 minutes early. Because if I get to the party on time, it's going to take him 30 minutes to go in. But I've got the 30 minutes early. then he's finally going to be ready to go in right when the party starts. So that's just one small example.

So here's one of my great leadership inventions I did as a parent is I realized I just have to get to every party 30 minutes early. Because if I get to the party on time, it's going to take him 30 minutes to go in. But I've got the 30 minutes early. then he's finally going to be ready to go in right when the party starts. So that's just one small example.

So here's one of my great leadership inventions I did as a parent is I realized I just have to get to every party 30 minutes early. Because if I get to the party on time, it's going to take him 30 minutes to go in. But I've got the 30 minutes early. then he's finally going to be ready to go in right when the party starts. So that's just one small example.

Now, one of the questions is how do we create equity in the fact that different people value things differently, right? Just as one good example is some people may want more money. Other people may want more flexibility in their job. And so one of the things that I think is really important is how do we create rewards for people that are

Now, one of the questions is how do we create equity in the fact that different people value things differently, right? Just as one good example is some people may want more money. Other people may want more flexibility in their job. And so one of the things that I think is really important is how do we create rewards for people that are

Now, one of the questions is how do we create equity in the fact that different people value things differently, right? Just as one good example is some people may want more money. Other people may want more flexibility in their job. And so one of the things that I think is really important is how do we create rewards for people that are

are equal value or cost to you, but can tap into their different needs and desires that they have. And actually, one of the first consulting projects I ever worked on in my life was back in the mid-2000s out there. I was at Northwestern University of Chicago. There's a little company that you might have heard out that's headquartered out in the suburbs there called McDonald's.