Ryan: Motivation is a tricky subject for many people, especially for employers and employees. Traditional thinking in a business setting dictates that higher pay leads to higher quality work, and that this type of reward incentive is universal. However, in anyplace with any modicum of innovation and creativity, this line of thinking is erroneous.
For any task that requires even rudimentary critical thinking skills, motivation is dictated more by the often internalized feelings and needs of employees. The people with the best creative output tend to be those who are self-directed, those who are allowed to achieve mastery, and those who feel that their work is not only improving themselves and their organization, but improving life for people around the world.