As innovation today is one of the keys to success for firms, creativity among employees becomes an important asset and the understanding about what motivates employees in ideation is consequently of high interest. This article addresses differences in motivation among high and low performers in ideation and contributes to existing theory by enhancing the understanding about what characterizes motivation among ideation high performers. The empirical data used in the article is based on a study performed at a multinational consumer goods company with headquarter in Sweden, surveying employees' performance, motivation, and their preferences toward collaboration and competition. Among the key findings is the possible combination of collaboration and competition mechanisms as a motivating means in firms' ideation management.