I am a great fan of the talks on TED.com. If you ever need inspiration and proof that the world is making progress, that’s your site.
In a recent talk, education guru Sugata Mitra talked about “The Child-driven Education”. In it he highlights one of the most effective catalysts for learning, called “The Method of the Grandmother” – “what you’ve got to do is stand behind them and admire them”.
In large organisations where we look to HR or personnel organisations to tell us how to get the most out of our staff, perhaps our early experiences are the best guide.
Rather than complex incentive schemes, and training programs, perhaps occasional words of encouragement are the answer to keeping people engaged and motivated.