I just returned from a memorable trip to Whistler and discovered a nice note in my mailbox. It was penned by an attendee at the Emerging Leaders conference in London.

Too often, people assume employees are motivated simply for a salary or other monetary compensation.

In actuality, when I have asked hundreds of people "what do you like about your job?" they often tell me that they enjoy helping people and making a difference.

Remember third gear? The salary is like the thank-you wave we get in traffic when we let someone in front of us. If we are truly in third gear, the (wave/salary) is appreciated, but it's not primarily why we do what we do.

Thanks so much for taking the time to write this note - you made my week!