Demotivators

You know those motivational posters that some people have hanging in their offices. Things like: Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results. I hate those. Yes, hate is a strong word; but those posters trivialize hard work. And quite frankly, if someone needs a poster to get motivated then they probably have some issues they need to work out.

I am more partial to demotivators, like those from the good people at Despair, Inc. I would much rather have a poster in my office that says: Dysfunction: The only constant feature in all of your dissatisfying relationships is you; and Irresponsibility: No single raindrop believes it is to blame for a flood. They're funny because they're true.

I often wonder how people actually function when they have a boss, not unlike Michael Scott, that thinks they can motivate with trite sayings and sappy posters. It's certainly good to recognize achievement and hard work, but not with cliches that reek of insincerity. So demotivators are the key, because if you can't laugh at the craziness, politics, and bureaucracy of any workplace then perhaps you need a new job.