It happens that one of the regular issues emerging from conversations with those I work with is about how you develop and maintain the motivation of those in the business, particularly in the more operational roles.
Over the years I have seen a lot of operations, manufacturing and other wise. Sometimes as you walk in the door, you can just ‘feel’ the energy, other times, it is clearly a place everyone would rather avoid.
Some of the common factors in the good ones I have seen follow, and the absence of these factors is also apparent.
Motivation is contagious. A few of the right people, clearly motivated and excited to be there, and doing a job well has a huge impact on a workplace. It is even more contagious when it comes from the ‘ranks’ as everyone expects the boss to be motivated, but not necessarily the storeman. Seek out those people in your recruiting, and celebrate them.
Motivation builds momentum. While it is contagious, it also builds its own momentum. The hard bit is getting started, to get the ball rolling, then it tends to feed on itself, so long as the environment provides the nourishment.
Urgency creates motivation to take action. We see this every day, particularly in a sales context. ‘One day left’ ’24 hour special’ . Inside a business this urgency is used to get attention, make change, and create alignment to a course of action.
Motivation and optimism have a strong link. Having a workplace full of optimists, those who see the bright side, who feel ‘alive’ and communicate that feeling has a positive impact on the ‘motivation quotient’ in every workplace I have seen. The converse is also true. There is also a strong social component, when a few of those seen as the leaders in any place of work, and these are not necessarily those whose place in the organisation chart says they are the leaders, are optimistic and motivated, that has a clear social effect. I am sure the wallies will have a fancy name for it. I just call it the ‘social effect’, and seek it out when hiring.
Motivation is also individual. Having noted the social effect, every person is motivated by different things, and differently in different contexts. It is a very personal thing, often a choice made consciously at some point, that just becomes ingrained. it also means that an effective leader manages their relationships with each of their fellow workers in an individualised manner.
The environment creates motivation. This may often be called culture, the ‘Way things get done around here’, to quote Michael Porter. Again, it is a social component of the workplace, something that is never articulated on an organisation diagram, but which nevertheless has a profound impact on performance.
FOMO. Fear of Missing Out is a well understood and deeply research psychological factor. It is a strong motivator, way stronger than the prospect of gaining something by participating.
Coercion and manipulation are not motivation. Indeed, if anything, they are strong eroders of any intrinsic motivation felt by individuals and a group. We are very good at picking when they are being applied to us, and we resent it and react accordingly.
Scarcity creates motivation. Scarcity, just like urgency, acts to motivate action now. ‘Only 2 left’ is a common tactic. Now emerging often is the non recording of webinars, so if you do not catch it live, there is in backup.
Risk creates motivation: for some. Every now and again, we watch someone who takes risks, and do not understand why they do it. When asked, the answer is usually some version of ‘because we can’, or ‘because it is there’. Just as most of us would not consider trying to ride a wave as clearly dangerous as the one in the header photo, chances are the bloke in the photo went out again, after recovering from the impending huge wipeout. It is intrinsic to the individual
Finally, money is a lousy motivator. People want to be valued and acknowledged, on top of having a pleasant and productive workspace, able to shape the way they spend their days. When that is in place, money is secondary, but in the absence of those things, money becomes the only motivator and when it happens, you are in deep trouble.
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