FOOTNOTES

Am I the only reader who really enjoys footnotes in a good book?

I get a little thrill when I turn a page and notice a sizeable footnote coming up. I often even scan the page to find the exact location of the little asterisk in advance so that I am sure not to miss it as I read the main text. 

Is that weird?

Part of my love of footnotes is that they signal an author who has done his or her research and is willing to "show the receipts". I admire that.

But probably the bigger factor is that footnotes often contain a point that the author has found compelling but has not quite figured out a way to fit into the flow of the text. He or she includes it anyway, in its own special spot at the bottom of the page. 

Here's a good example of a random footnote I found valuable on the topic of salary levels from a book I picked up recently called Think Again by Adam Grant:

*Pay isn't a carrot we need to dangle to motivate people - it's a symbol of how much we value them. Managers can motivate people by designing meaningful jobs in which people have freedom, mastery, belonging, and impact. They can show appreciation by paying well. 

I know this to be true from personal experience. And it matters. The size of my paycheck has never been a motivator to me. But it most certainly functions as an indicator of how much I feel valued. And if I don't feel valued, I likely won't stick around long.