Some people (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Edwards_Deming http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Edwards_Deming) argue that in fact personal gain is the worst wa

Some people (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Edwards_Deming http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Edwards_Deming) argue that in fact personal gain is the worst way to motivate people - it makes them game the system - and there's plenty of examples out there to back up his point. Instead he has argued for "pride of workmanship" as the best way to motivate people, as long as you don't actually demotivate people by paying them too little, treating them like shit, etc. I can see both sides to the argument, the problem with the gold at the end of the rainbow is that it's uncertain, and there's no better way to demotivate people unintentionally than for it to disappear.