By David Shields on April 14, 2010
Abstract
For more than a century, the contention that sport builds character has been popular among educators. The more cautious perspective of researchers is that sport might build character, but only under the right conditions. In this paper, Brenda Light Bredemeier, Ph.D., and David Light Shields, Ph.D., report on three aspects of character that [...]
Posted in Coaching, Free, Resources, Teaching, Working | Tagged achievement goal, character, coaching, competition, decompetition, enjoyment, excellence, extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation, playing, sport, task orientation, true competition, youth
By David Shields on April 14, 2010
True Competition is a more than a catch-phrase, it is a provocative theory about the very nature of competition–how and when it works, its limitations, and its pitfalls. Our lives in a democratic, capitalist country are encompassed by competition, suffused by it, but it is something we rarely discuss without resorting to anecdotes and [...]
Posted in Coaching, Free, Resources, Teaching, Working | Tagged achievement goal, battle, character, coaching, competition, decompetition, enjoyment, excellence, extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation, metaphor, motivation, playing, sport, task orientation, true competition, war, winning, youth
By Christopher Funk on September 24, 2009
Winning is good. Winning is fun. Yet we may often find that winning by itself does not bring lasting satisfaction. Why? Why are there so many sore winners?
Before offering an answer to that question, I’d suggest taking a look at Rick Reilly’s recent article on Michael Jordan’s controversial Basketball Hall of Fame acceptance speech.
Posted in Chris's Blog | Tagged coaching, enjoyment, extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation, sport, winning
By Christopher Funk on March 31, 2009
American International Group, Inc. (more commonly known by its acronym, AIG), has come under fire for issuing $165 million in bonuses, shortly after receiving upwards of $180 billion in funds from the federal government to keep the struggling insurance corporation from collapsing. (1)
Of course, it’s not alone. Mammoth retention bonuses are common in the financial services industry. Another bailout beneficiary, Fannie Mae, announced that four top executives would be receiving retention bonuses of $1 million or more. (2)
Without adding to the cacophony of voices criticizing AIG, Fannie Mae, or other instances of executive compensation run amok, I’d like to talk a little about how motivation works. Bottom line: it’s all about motivation. But does pay alone maximize motivation?
Posted in Chris's Blog | Tagged business, compensation, economy, extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation, motivation