Thought-provoking post, Mary! I see motivation as something that's very personal and that shouldn't be proscriptive. I agree with you that bosses absolutely need to be tuned into what motivates their employees. From my experience, the most successful companies have a mix of employees--those who are ambitious about their career and those who do good work but who are satisfied where they are. Managing those distinctions appropriately can be a great tool for retention. Not everyone wants to be the "chief" and having a boss who recognizes and appreciates that can be golden.