MIT Sloan Management Review Article on Need Motivation at Work? Try Giving Advice

Research shows that giving advice, rather than receiving it, is key for motivation.

At companies such as IBM and Motorola, mentorship and executive coaching are now standard parts of leadership development programs. People seeking wisdom from mentors is common not only in business, but in all facets of life.

But what if advice seekers are overlooking what they truly need? Psychologists have long known that people stumble on one particular class of problems, self-control problems, because they lack the motivation to transform knowledge into action.