Understand what motivation really means to your people in order to help them actively develop it.
Just what is motivation? Google the word and you’ll find a multitude of definitions:
- The driving force which affect the choice of alternatives in the behaviour of a person.
- The process of inspiring people in order to intensify their desire and willingness for executing the duties effectively.
- Our internal desire to accomplish something that is important to us, this motivation/desire makes us take action.
At first glance, that seems quite simple. We want something, so we do what we need to do in order to achieve it. Yet anyone who is in the business of getting human beings to do anything will tell you that motivating individuals and teams is incredibly difficult.
What is workplace motivation?
Workplace motivation is actually made up of several different dimensions. Just because we might want something, it doesn’t necessarily follow that we will actually do what it takes to make it happen. This transfer from aspiration to action can only take place if we are able to identify and use the motivating dimensions which mean something to us.
Dimensions of motivation, as defined and measured by motivationflow®:
- Collaboration
- Recognition
- Autonomy
- Growth
- Reward
- Wellbeing
- Purpose
Everyone will use these dimensions in their personal and work lives to some extent or another. Most will do so without conscious action on their part. Perhaps collaborating with colleagues or working towards targets comes completely naturally and without strain. It’s just what they do.
However, having clear definitions of what makes up our motivation is hugely beneficial. We can look at what is natural to us, give it active consideration in order to optimise results and even seek out other ways and situations in which to make greater use of that dimension. That could look like taking on more responsibility to organise their own workload or seek out more networking opportunities to gain new business.
Under and over using motivation dimensions
It works the other way too. Understanding these motivating dimensions gives the insight to see where we are over using or under using these skills. An example could be the over competitive salesperson who goes to such an extreme, that their efforts undermine team cohesion. Or someone who takes so much time out to re-energise, that they lose their sense of purpose at work.
With support, learning and coaching, the individual can learn to modify their use of reward and well-being in these examples, to move into a space where their actions are conducive to team working without compromising on results. In doing so, they move into the flow zone of motivation.
As a facilitator of team motivationflow® sessions, it’s rewarding to see the honesty and candour with which people share what motivates them. These sessions help them to be clear about what they need from the organisation. They discover what fires them to do their best at work differs from person to person. They learn what is different on their good days to those days when under pressure. This transparency of what drives them and how they can better motivate their colleagues provides a solid foundation for team cohesiveness and connectedness to achieve team growth.
Develop motivation in the workplace
Now here is the fly in the ointment. While employers can get on board and implement a development strategy to improve motivation at work, the trick is to get those who it’s aimed at to benefit from professional development. A recent survey reported that employers are twice as likely to rate the L&D programmes as satisfactory than their employees. Employees need to buy into the initiatives the employer sets in motion in order for positive transformation to take place.
The most effective way to do this is through objective assessment that accurately reflects the preferences of the individual and crucially informs the strategy for improvement. The subsequent development is then intelligently focused on how they can work towards and maintain a healthy state of motivation at work. In this state they can stretch to meet challenges without inhabiting a permanent state of work-related stress.
The awkwardness of togetherness
In conversation with Adria Horn, executive vice president of workforce at US form Tilson and US army reservist, McKinsey’s Aaron de Smet recently talked about the echoes of military redeployment in the return to the workplace. “Some coming back to the office expected it to be the same as before, and they were hoping to get some magic from being back in the office, but for many it just feels awkward.”
We recently kicked off 2022 with our own motivationflow® team session for just this reason. After nearly two years of fractured team working, this was our opportunity to get together and listen to each other. Led by our Master Trainer Sara Jobson, we had the chance to not just think about our own motivating dimensions, but also to learn more about each other. It was a day full of discovering what was the same, and what had changed in terms of our motivation, alongside the emotional and social intelligence which is a particular strength of our team. Yet still, there was an awkwardness at first. We have moved office location, there have been changes within the team and still the cloud of ‘will we all catch Covid lingers’.
This is where our team motivation, and resilience, kicks in. For us at Holst, we know that we are strong, both as individuals and as a team. Sometimes we just need someone and structure to facilitate us into actually ‘feeling’ it. 2022 is set to be another bumpy ride, but because our core is strong, we can thrive through it.
Contact us to learn more about developing motivation in your workplace.
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