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We often ask, 'how can we *incentivize* engagement?' when building a crypto community.
Instead, we need to ask 'how we can *motivate* engagement?'
To discover how motivation & incentivization are different & why incentive programs are shown to reduce motivation.
Instead, we need to ask 'how we can *motivate* engagement?'
To discover how motivation & incentivization are different & why incentive programs are shown to reduce motivation.
Incentives are an extrinsic tool used to create motivation.
Our first mistake: assuming incentives are the primary driver of motivation. In actuality, incentives are only a part of the field of motivation.
Our second mistake: assuming incentive programs increase motivation.
Our first mistake: assuming incentives are the primary driver of motivation. In actuality, incentives are only a part of the field of motivation.
Our second mistake: assuming incentive programs increase motivation.
The majority of studies on this topic are in the context of an employer-employee relationship. Although motivating employees is different than motivating crypto communities, these studies can help us understand the drawbacks of incentive programs.
"Research suggests that, by and large, rewards succeed at securing one thing only: temporary compliance.
When it comes to producing lasting change in attitudes and behavior, rewards, like punishment, are strikingly ineffective.” https://hbr.org/1993/09/why-incentive-plans-cannot-work
When it comes to producing lasting change in attitudes and behavior, rewards, like punishment, are strikingly ineffective.” https://hbr.org/1993/09/why-incentive-plans-cannot-work
Specifically, rewards undermine interest, reduce cooperation, and discourage creativity, especially for complex tasks.
We need to innovate beyond incentives which are narrowly focused on manipulating through reward/punishment paradigms.
We need to innovate beyond incentives which are narrowly focused on manipulating through reward/punishment paradigms.
Instead, we should center "motivation programs" around intrinsic drivers like belonging, challenge, and cooperation.
Like being in a relationship, you want a community that wants to be there.
Like being in a relationship, you want a community that wants to be there.
