Don't think that what motivates you inspires others.

The best advice series is the wisdom-sharing series that LinkedIn collects. The proposal we're going to introduce comes from Alex Molinaroli, president and CEO of Johnson Controls.

To manage people effectively, you have to motivate them to motivate them with something important to them, rather than something important to you. This is what I need to learn in the early days of Johnson Controls's career.

The first time I managed someone was in 1986, when I was in Nashville, Tennessee, in an HVAC department. I was frustrated by the fact that the manager gave me one more job, because I couldn't figure out why those people didn't do the right thing. They don't want to do anything I ask them to do. I can't figure out why.

A colleague of mine, Larry Cox, noticed my emotions and brought me the following advice.

Larry: I'll tell you something about people.

Me: What is it? I'm all ears.

Larry: Well, the reason they don't want to listen to you may be that it doesn't work for the things that motivate you. Everyone has their own currency, and everyone has something that can help them succeed and make them feel good, also known as the reward system. You have to understand this so that you can help them achieve what they see as success, not success in your own eyes.

This has had a big impact on my career later. Everyone's exciting points are different. What motivates you may not inspire others. Finding their currency means you can motivate them better for a common purpose.