Props, as a form of peer recognition, can fuel motivation.

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Our research shows that the number of engaged employees in your organization increases by a whopping 11% when people feel they are part of a motivating team, receive regular peer-to-peer recognition and understand how the work of their group affects the larger organization.

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Using its Community Impact Platform to create a fundraising challenge for two local animal rescues, Causecast leveraged social media, real-time reporting, peer recognition, instant donation processing, automatic tracking, micro and macro funding abilities, and good old competition with incentives to fire up the team and get them engaged in giving back.

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This also allows a system of tracking peer or manager recognition, eventually factoring into their organizational reputation.

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So I think real motivation tends to go back to what we would call peer motivation, self-superiority issues, recognition, acceptance, and in this case within the hacker community downright fame.

BBC