What is my motivation? (career goals, etc)

[Shoe City Thinker]

I've been thinking about my career and where I currently am. I work for a financial software company. I'm not terribly fulfilled. I was having a conversation today about what motivates me. I talked in-depth about the fact that I've reached a point in my life where materialism is not terribly motivating and I'm more motivated by factors that involve an intrinsic worth. I communicated that I'm not really gunning for the corner office, a mega-huge salary, or high status. I'm content to be a strong team player whom executes well. I left my ego behind when I turned 30. What's important to me is that I have a strategic and tactical vision for systems architecture and it pleases me most when I can see out that vision. I was told by this co-worker to keep silent about this because management will think I'm an unmotivated slacker. I've heard this is common in many companies. They think that the traditional means of incentivizing and promoting is the be-all-end-all of rewarding good performance. What happens when the employee is growing beyond material motivation into a state of self-actualization? How do you reward such an employee?

Why doesn't corporate America appreciate ego-free team players? Why the emphasis on political self-aggrandizement and hero worship? Employees that serve with a professional attitude should be recognized as well as their hard-charging peers.

 

[Flambeur]

Originally Posted by Shoe City Thinker

I've been thinking about my career and where I currently am. I work for a financial software company. I'm not terribly fulfilled. I was having a conversation today about what motivates me. I talked in-depth about the fact that I've reached a point in my life where materialism is not terribly motivating and I'm more motivated by factors that involve an intrinsic worth. I communicated that I'm not really gunning for the corner office, a mega-huge salary, or high status. I'm content to be a strong team player whom executes well. I left my ego behind when I turned 30. What's important to me is that I have a strategic and tactical vision for systems architecture and it pleases me most when I can see out that vision. I was told by this co-worker to keep silent about this because management will think I'm an unmotivated slacker. I've heard this is common in many companies. They think that the traditional means of incentivizing and promoting is the be-all-end-all of rewarding good performance. What happens when the employee is growing beyond material motivation into a state of self-actualization? How do you reward such an employee?

Why doesn't corporate America appreciate ego-free team players? Why the emphasis on political self-aggrandizement and hero worship? Employees that serve with a professional attitude should be recognized as well as their hard-charging peers.

that's sad.

 

[MetroStyles]

You should become a socialist.

 

[theincumbent]

Originally Posted by Shoe City Thinker

What happens when the employee is growing beyond material motivation into a state of self-actualization? How do you reward such an employee?

Why doesn't corporate America appreciate ego-free team players? Why the emphasis on political self-aggrandizement and hero worship? Employees that serve with a professional attitude should be recognized as well as their hard-charging peers.

You goddamn hippies disgust me. Just kidding.

Corporate culture in America is structured around the concepts of self-reliance and advancement through hard work. These concepts are modeled after the theories upon which the Constitution was based.

Go start a non-profit, something related to patchouli and "organics."

 

[Brian278]

Granted, I have only a few years in the corporate world, but you sound like a lot of managers' dream employee. Give you stuff to do and you'll work hard, and they don't have to promote you or pay you more to do it. You're not a threat to them in any way, you won't leave for a better title, you just make the look good all of the time with minimal hassle. Seems ideal to me.

 

[globetrotter]

I love employees like you. sorry I am not hiring.

not everybody needs an ego.