Motivation is the driving force that makes people start, continue, and end an activity. For example, you pick up sketching, stick to it for some time, and perhaps you lose interest after a while.
We have all heard of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Humans first satisfy their basic needs like food, water, and shelter. The next step is financial security and health. After a few more steps in between, they seek self-actualization, where people focus on unlocking their true potential. They are self-aware, motivated, and not concerned with what others think.
The reason people are motivated has many answers. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is one such theory that explains how people strive to be the best they can be, but before that, certain basic physiological and emotional needs should be met.
However, when it comes to the workplace, these fundamental needs occur differently. This is where extrinsic (external) and intrinsic (internal) factors come into play.
But First, What is Self-determination Theory?
Self-determination is when you make choices out of free will, without external influence. You are the one in control. The theory explains that people are fundamentally driven to learn, grow, and connect. This doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and people need support to fulfill three basic psychological needs. These are:
- Autonomy: The feeling of owning and being in charge of what you do.
- Competency: Competency implies you are great at what you do and can achieve greater heights. This need is supported in an environment where people are given feedback, challenges, and opportunities to grow.
- Relatedness: When you respect and care for what people do, they thrive.
Factors Influencing Motivation
Intrinsic Motivation
It is when you do things out of curiosity, interest, and self-satisfaction. You do it simply because you enjoy it and find it rewarding and fun.
Extrinsic Motivation
Something other than personal satisfaction motivates people, like rewards or an increase in salary or praise and fame. It can also be because of the value people place on the process; it’s their duty, it’s the right thing to do, it’s worth it, etc. Punishment, avoiding shame, and fines are also examples of extrinsic motivation.
Extrinsic motivation may work when someone is not very interested, when the task is repetitive, or boring, or when someone is learning a new skill. We do things that bring positive outcomes and are repelled by negative outcomes.
But incentives that work for one person may not work for another, or which work in one situation may not always work (you may be motivated to clean when you see dust, but not consistently). The incentives must be realistic to influence motivation. Getting a top manager position for a newbie is not realistic, but working toward a senior role is more achievable. Realistic rewards are better at motivating people.
For most people, it’s not just one or two, both internal and external factors are in play. Some actions may be motivated because they are fun (a treasured hobby), and some externally (like doing chores).
According to self-determination theory, external factors may reduce a person’s inherent motivation. Interestingly, when you reward someone when they are already highly motivated, they lose interest in it. This is called the over-justification effect.
Ways to Motivate Your Team
Have a Clear Vision
Simon Sinek, bestselling author of Start With Why and Leaders Eat Last, talks about having a clear vision for your company. He explains how most people know about what the company does, but what inspires them to come day after day and keep doing it all over again is the ‘why’ of your company. Your employees are inspired because of a purpose or a clear impact of the product/service or a belief you hold.
Clear communication of your company’s vision to your employees makes them more engaged and willing to work. Set clear actionable goals so you can measure the success.
Share Feedback
Feedback helps your employees grow, but it can often be a recipe for miscommunication. It could get out of hand, where both parties lose direction of what the feedback was about, leading to heated arguments. Or you may not make a clear point, which could lead to confusion. So, how can you give clear constructive feedback?
This COIN method might help.
- Context: Mention the place/event where the situation took place. This helps prevent other issues from coming into play. For example, during yesterday evening’s brainstorming session.
- Observation: Something specific that took place. Remain objective, keep your voice neutral, and allow them to bring their side of the argument. Like, I noticed that you were unable to answer any of the questions. Is there something going on?
- Impact: How that situation affected others. For example, the incomplete document had paused the session, and we might have to extend deadlines.
- Next steps: Discuss what needs to be changed and set a clear path for it to happen. Keep an open mind about their suggestions as well. For example, I understand you didn’t have a lot of time to prepare. So what can we do next time? Would a longer timeline help? More resources from my side to help you prepare better?
Provide Ample Space to Breathe
It can be difficult to know how much autonomy to give your employees. Too much freedom can leave employees confused, and too little is micro-managing. However, with the right balance and allowing leeway, employees can take ownership of their tasks. It makes it easier for them to go with the flow and efficiently finish their work.
How do you hit the right spot? Arrange for monthly or weekly catch-ups and manage expectations about task goals. Reduce meetings when not necessary and check in with your team during times other than the scheduled meetings.
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Flexibility in working conditions is also important. You can discuss hybrid/remote working options or allow them to start and end later if they have dependents etc.
Up-skilling and Continuous Learning
According to James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, “The Goldilocks Rule states that humans experience peak motivation when working on tasks that are right on the edge of their current abilities.” If it’s too difficult, people lose interest, because they would never reach that level. Too low and they might get bored. People need just the right level of difficulty to see some growth while challenging their abilities.
Help your teammates find the right strategy that can help them learn new skills. It could be further training, a different project, setting growth-oriented targets, an offer for mentorship, etc. Help them chart out their long-term and short-term goals.
A Workable Workplace
Is your office a safe space to work in? Is it comfortable, with decent ergonomics, and do you have guidelines in store for remote employees regarding software or internal communication tools?
When looking at the bigger picture, we may miss out on basic employee wellbeing. So, stock the office pantry with nutritious snacks, ensure there are working air conditioners and fans, and the office is clean and quiet with sufficient light, low noise, etc.
Communication is the Key
Clear and consistent communication builds trust within your team and helps them stay on top of things. If there are any changes in the tasks or deadlines, keep them informed. This prevents doubt and suspicion from creeping in. Have an open-door policy so that employees can share ideas, feedback, etc. more easily. Ensure you are replying timely to emails and internal company chats, and if not, let your teammates know you will get back to them.
Make gratitude a part of your team/company culture. Be it for a task done before deadlines, or a standout idea, a “good job”, or “thank you” goes a long way in making your employees feel appreciated. Provide opportunities for your teammates to celebrate each other’s achievements.
