THE HYPOCRISY OF DENYING THE OBVIOUS
Money can’t buy happiness – we’ve all heard the adage, often from the mouths of the wealthy.
Jack Ma, the billionaire co-founder of Alibaba, famously declared his dislike for riches while simultaneously championing the importance of intrinsic motivators such as purpose and meaning in work. He encouraged employees to unite around Alibaba’s core values instead of focusing on personal financial gain.
While job seekers might be inclined to follow his advice, our recent study found that downplaying or dismissing extrinsic rewards, like salary and personal gain, can backfire – leading to scepticism and distrust.
Our study involved researchers from the National University of Singapore, Tsinghua University and Stanford University and nearly 2,500 participants to explore the effects of demeaning extrinsic motivators such as monetary rewards or fame.
Most of us, regardless of socioeconomic status, value financial security to some extent. When individuals deny this basic human need, it creates a disconnect between their words and actions, undermining their credibility.
This disconnect is even stronger if the individual has a high socioeconomic status such as Jack Ma, suggesting that those who are already financially successful do not have a right to preach against it.
#Commentary #Showcase #passion #downplay #salary #Job #interviews
