A LASER Lesson on Motivation

What can we learn from a LASER?
Setting aside much of the technical expertise that a LASER employs, let's think about the lonely electron in its orbit around the nucleus. An external stimulus, such as a high intensity flashlamp, excites the electron to a higher orbit, creating a new level of energy. Unfortunately, the electron is unable to hold on to this new level of intensity and falls back to its original orbit. During the fallback, it releases a small burst of energy called a photon that eventually is fine tuned to become the powerful beam of light we call LASER.
From a management perspective, this simplified view of physics can teach us several noteworthy items. First, without stimulation, people will prefer to stay in their existing orbit or comfort zone. We use our leadership and teaching skills to help people achieve a new level of energy, a higher orbit. Hence, as leaders, the operative word is to be engaged.
But, this new level is "uncomfortable" and people will want to return to their defined level of comfort. As leaders, we allow this to happen only after they have released their new found energy. This is the second lesson from the LASER example: allow others to teach others, to share their new found "energy" and to stimulate the new employee/student to a higher level. And then, they relax. Allow a more powerful beam to develop by creating pockets of energy throughout the environment.
The third, and most important lesson, is to allow the person to have a breather. Using external stimulus without the relaxation phase is a recipe for burnout. Balance is achieved when you have your group "firing" and "relaxing" at different intervals that keeps the workplace moving forward as a team.
Athletes know that it is the relaxation phase that creates the building of new muscle, the recovery for greater speed and the mental refreshing that allows for the renewed commitment to excellence.