How to motivate others? Really!

How many times as a manager have you heard the newly appointed supervisors state, ”I’m a little afraid, I don’t know how to motivate others”. If we answer truthfully we would say that you cannot motivate others. People chose to follow. Sure there are extrinsic factors like punishment, penalty or even imposed motivation. However is that really in the long run motivating others? Negative reinforcement only guarantees a level of performance that is just enough to get by – just enough to escape or avoid some unpleasant consequences. Managers get things done with and through other people; with either positive or negative reinforcement. Negative reinforcement is always easily recognized as do it or else or I’m the boss do it because I said so. I propose that people who are intrinsically motivated are likely contributing their discretionary behavior towards and on behalf of the company. Capturing discretionary behavior is that hidden untapped competitive advantage. Discretionary effort is defined as that level of effort people could give if they wanted to but is beyond what is required. What would make an employee of the company contribute their discretionary behavior on behalf of the company? If I got you curious let me offer you four sources that can help answer how you tap into that intrinsic motivation.

The first is Daniel Pink’s book Driven. He suggests there are four internal intrinsic drivers: 1. To acquire 2. To bond, 3. To defend and 4. To learn.Second source is Susan Fowler’s; book Why motivating people doesn’t work and what does. In this book she suggests three intrinsic motivators. They are competence, autonomy, and relationships. The third source is one that’s been around a number of years Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Maslows hierarchy of individual needs is physical safety, belonging, self-esteem and self-actualization. Finally, the last source is Eric Twist the 6 psychological factors needed to find meaning at work. 1. Variety and challenging work, 2. Continuous learning, 3. Discretion and autonomy in doing job, 4. Recognition and Support, 5. Meaningful contribution and 6. a desirable future. So there are many ways to create conditions that satisfy intrinsic motivation. Let me offer you some ways to create the container for intrinsic motivation to prosper.

Learning: consider multi skilling of jobs with redundant repetitive task. Expand variety and job challenge. I often say to the people I lead ;I want the physical effort, the mental effort and the energy within the heart pulling our teams way. You can capture the heart by teaching the great game of business, Create teachable moments where you can develop knowledge through participation and involvement. Create a brown bag university where during lunches they learn together. Create an executive coffee break where the employees meet with the senior executive to talk about the business. Yet there is much more.

Bonding, belonging, relationships relies almost solely on the positive effects of your front line supervisors with the people they lead. Create an active education, coaching, mentoring program for your supervisors. This is the biggest spend for development in your organization. Good supervisors are most important for your organization. Supervisors maintain that direct. 1 to 1 relationship with all of those they lead. Measure what goes on with 1-1 relationships and conversations.

Discretion and autonomy and contribution are controlled by how your leaders allow for others to contribute. Micromanaging is simply repulsive to people who desire autonomy. A way to fix this is to have a conversation about what is mine, yours and ours at the three levels of organizations. Another tactic is to use an act/advise matrix concerning key decisions that are made in the day-to-day operations. Advise becomes act when the person has reached a knowledge threshold, which allows effective decisions making. ( builds meaning, autonomy, bonding, contribution) One of the best structures in my experience is to introduce the act/ advise concept is the context of  situational leadership.

Recognition and support: start a program where you thank people 5 to 1. (Five positives to one negative reinforcement.) This is for all of the direct supervisors. Track it, talk about it and improve the way you give feedback.

Now is the time to tap into that competitive advantage. Try coming up with what you do cultivate the intrinsic motivators listed above. Why are your employees motivated? If not than who ? If not you that who will? Fianally, are you willing to accept 50% disengagement in your company.