In motivating people, you’ve got to engage their minds and their hearts. I motivate people, I hope, by example - and perhaps by excitement, by having productive ideas to make others feel involved.

Murdoch frames motivation as a dual appeal: rational engagement (“minds”) and emotional commitment (“hearts”). He presents leadership less as command-and-control and more as social contagion—people follow what they can both understand and feel. His emphasis on motivating “by example” suggests credibility and visible personal investment as the core of influence, while “excitement” and “productive ideas” point to momentum-building through vision and innovation. The final clause—making others “feel involved”—highlights inclusion as a practical tool: motivation increases when individuals perceive ownership in the project rather than mere compliance. Read broadly, the quote advocates participatory leadership that combines competence, inspiration, and shared purpose.