Psychologist Dan Ariely describes a conversation he had with a manager at a large bank, a man in charge of handing out millions of dollars in bonuses each year to top employees. “So, how do you do it?” Ariely asked. “Do you shake their hand? Take them out for a beer? Say ‘Thank you for your hard work?’” “No,” the manager replied. “We just write them a check.”Understanding human motivation is difficult even for psychologists, so it’s no wonder that it’s an area in which the management of many businesses falls short. But we do know a few key things about what drives people to do their best.People get a great deal of enjoyment from conquering difficult things.Key MotivatorsChallengeMeaning or PurposeAccomplishmentCompetitionAutonomyAppreciation