You can’t make someone care.  That sounds like a strange statement from someone who makes a living trying to motivate people.  Obviously, we can influence how much people care about their work. But there is an important difference between creating the conditions for someone to care and trying to make them care.

 Organizations can demand compliance. They can't demand commitment.

 Possibly the toughest part of getting teams to produce great results is giving people a reason to care.  It can be surprisingly difficult. People bring years of experience with them, and some have learned that the safest approach at work is to do what is expected and not invest too much of themselves in it.

 I don't blame them. Some workplace experiences can teach people that the safest approach is to do what is expected and little more. People aren't necessarily unwilling to care. They may have learned that caring isn't worth the effort.

 I love the challenge of getting people to care. Care about the product they are building, their coworkers, their employer, and the customer who will ultimately use what they build.

 During my long career in technology, I have developed a deep appreciation for the skill and talent it takes to make good software. I am often in awe of people with the technical chops to build great applications. I value the people I work with, and I care about them.

 That is often one of the first steps. I have to actually care about them. And I can't ask them to care about something I don't care about myself.                                               

Part of that is helping people see what the work can give them.  I've come to believe that we sometimes underestimate what we can get from our work. A job provides a paycheck and benefits, of course, but over time it can give us something considerably more valuable: experience, knowledge, skills, relationships, confidence, and a reputation that we carry with us long after we've left the organization. That’s a pretty good return on the effort we put in. Caring about the work and doing it well isn't only good for the employer. It's in our own interest, too.

 In the end, I can't make someone care about their work. But I can care about them and their work. I can believe in them, expect great things from them, and give them reasons to invest themselves in what we are doing. What they do with that opportunity is ultimately up to them.

 What gives the people on your team a reason to care?

 I’d be interested in hearing what you think.