This poster may do a better job, than my posts, of showing why posters and slogan are not an effective management strategy. Text from the poster: “If a pretty poster and a cute saying are all it takes to motivate you, you probably have a very easy job. The kind robots will be doing soon.”

Despair (link to the motivation poster shown here), offers many such de-motivational posters and note cards - well done satire, in my opinion, but they might be too much for some.

Along the lines of our post, Stop Demotivating Employees, the founder of Despair wrote a book entitled: The Art of Demotivation.

Another poster example: Ambition - The journey of a thousand miles sometimes ends very, very badly.

One of Deming’s 14 obligations of management was to eliminate slogans.

Also see:

• Dilbert and Deming
• Our blog posts on: respect for people
• Our blog posts on: Psychology
• Deming on Management: eliminate slogans

Related: Why Extrinsic Motivation Fails - Dangers of Extrinsic Motivation - Alfie Kohn has some great books and articles on the problems with extrinsic motivation