I Need to Motivate My Team!Have you ever delivered important information to a disinterested audience, wondering why they weren’t more invested? Have you ever offered people opportunities in their best interest, only for the opportunities to be ignored? Have you ever thought, “I wish I could just motivate these people!”?
Everyone is Already MotivatedWhen it comes to inspiring and encouraging others, we often find ourselves seeking ways to motivate them. However, it is essential to recognize that true motivation cannot be imposed upon someone from an external source. Instead, a more effective approach lies in realizing that people are already motivated. We can then switch to understanding how individuals are motivated . By shifting our focus from trying to motivate others to asking how they are motivated, we open up a world of possibilities to nurture their innate drives and aspirations.
Motivation is a SPECTRUMMotivation encompasses a range of possibilities and is not simply a “yes you have it” or “no you don’t” choice. Instead, there exists a Spectrum of Motivation that reflects the quality of one’s motivational state. This quality determines whether the reasons driving one’s motivation at any given time foster creativity, innovation, and sustainable focus. This quality determines whether a person attains higher productivity (optimal), or subpar performance (suboptimal). The Spectrum of Motivation includes:1. Disinterested (suboptimal): This outlook reflects a lack of interest or perceived value in a particular activity or situation. The individual does not find any meaningful or worthwhile aspects in it, considering it a waste of time.2. External (suboptimal): In this outlook, the motivation stems from external factors such as leveraging one’s position or power to gain advantages. It could involve seeking financial rewards, enhanced status, or a favorable image in the eyes of others. The individual sees the activity or situation as an opportunity to assert themselves or exploit potential benefits.3. Imposed (suboptimal): This outlook arises from a sense of obligation or pressure to engage in an activity or be part of a particular situation. The individual may feel compelled to participate due to expectations from others or to avoid negative emotions like guilt, shame, or fear. The motivation is driven primarily by external influences rather than personal interest.4. Aligned (optimal): The aligned outlook is characterized by perceiving value in an activity or situation through a connection to significant learning opportunities. The individual recognizes the potential for personal growth or knowledge acquisition, either for themselves or for others involved in the activity or situation.5. Integrated (optimal): This outlook links the activity or situation to a broader life or work purpose. The individual views it as an opportunity to contribute to a larger goal or to give voice to an important issue that aligns with their personal values or professional mission.6. Inherent (optimal): The inherent outlook represents a genuine enjoyment of a particular activity or situation. The individual finds it inherently enjoyable and may approach it with a positive attitude, anticipating a pleasant and engaging experience.It’s important to note that these outlooks are not mutually exclusive, and individuals can experience different motivational states in various activities or situations.Now What?Since people are already motivated, trying to motivate them is not necessary. However, identifying their motivation outlook on the spectrum of motivation gives you valuable insight. Specifically, you can focus your energy on moving a person from one outlook to another. By removing an obligation to participate in an activity, and highlighting that the activity can offer the potential for personal growth, you can move a person from an Imposed motivational outlook (suboptimal motivation) to an Aligned outlook (optimal motivation). Recognizing the characteristics that lead to suboptimal motivational outlooks allows you to remove these from any activity. Similarly, recognizing the characteristics that lead to optimal motivational outlooks allows you to add these from any activity. In other words, stop trying to motivate people, and start helping them realize they’re already motivated.