how applicable they are to the discussion. I do love the way it was proposed above, money put into an account and then deducted if goals weren't met. I'm not sure how to do that for a basketball team.

It does seem, though, that it's validated by the reaction we all have to winning and losing. We like winning - it feels great - but we hate losing more. When we win, there's generally positive vibing, but when we lose, it's the end of the world. Seems to me to be the same kind of thing, psychologically.

I think sustainability is the key there. If you want someone to do THIS task, RIGHT NOW, at a particular level, metaphorically chasing them with a bear is probably going to be effective. But if you want long-term improvement, and not just a spike in immediate behavior, you have to use persuasion and positive reinforcement. That's my current thinking, anyway.

Thanks for reading.