thoughts on . . . motivation

MOTIVATION

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Beliefs based on personal values, experience and readings. This reading is continually under review & will never be finished Comments/feedback always welcome. Twitter: https://twitter.com/2010Robh

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A RECIPE FOR MOTIVATION

As a leader you may not be able to motivate anyone, but you can create an atmosphere

conducive to inspiration and motivation. The ingredients are

• Purpose

• Autonomy (in preference to empowerment)

• Personal growth

• Recognition

• Removal of barriers

• Fun

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PURPOSE

• Leaders are possibility thinkers. Turning possibility thinking into an inspiring Vision is the

leader's challenge

• Having the team agree upon purpose and goals, they forge their accountability to one

another — not just to the leader

• The team must “own” this purpose by developing its own spin on it

• Values and principles serve as the basis for goals

• People want to live meaningful lives - There is a deep desire within people to make a

difference

• People commit to causes, not to plans

• Nothing satisfies human spirit more than purpose






AUTONOMY

• Engagement and satisfaction are largely based on autonomy and independence.

• Innovative workers (also the “happiest,” according to Google) are those who have a

strong sense of mission about their work and who also feel that they have much personal

autonomy

• Freedom breeds innovation: Even heavily process-oriented positions have room for

different approaches.

• Whenever possible, give your employees the autonomy and independence to work the

way they work best.

• Don't worry about the mistakes, give permission to experiment and take risks.

• Employees who are not trusted to solve problems, determine the best course of action, or

utilize their creativity become dull and disengaged.






PERSONAL GROWTH

• Training is crucial to building self-efficacy and to encouraging initiative.

• Train everyone to be a businessperson. When everyone has the same information about

what's happening in the business, then everyone starts thinking and acting like a CEO

• Employees who are not trusted to solve problems, determine the best course of action, or

utilize their creativity – become dull and disengaged.

• Employees who are simultaneously given direction and freedom can take ownership and

innovate. They “work with purpose” and pride, and light fires of their own.

• Learning happens when people feel comfortable in talking about both successes and

failure.

• Develop tomorrow’s leaders and develop the skills of local leaders (rather than relocate

expatriates who have different styles and cultural norms






RECOGNITION

• When people strive to show genuine appreciation to others for their hard work, it provides

a valuable motivator and behavioural reinforcement.

• Positive Reinforcement is the key to changing behaviour

• Never let good work go unnoticed with individualised recognition / personalised rewards

• Recognition may be the nudge an average performer needs to start becoming a great

performer.

• Celebrations should always serve a dual purpose - one is to honor a principle or an

achievement, and the other is to create community

• “Celebrations are the punctuation marks that make sense of the passage of time”.

• Organizational ceremonies are part of the rhythms of history and our collective

conditioning.






REMOVE BARRIERS

• Remove as many factors as possible that are likely to de-motivate or get in the way of

motivation – Eliminate the excuses.

• It is unrealistic to expect to have a motivated workforce if the leader is not well motivated.

• Correct any general working conditions that can act as de-motivators.

• Pay/bonuses will be an important de-motivator if people believe that they are being

underpaid






FUN

• People rarely succeed at anything unless they have fun doing it.

• When people are having fun, the energy of the entire organisation shifts into higher &

higher levels.

• To keep the momentum going it’s important to have fun while working on goals

• Be proactive in looking for ways to have some fun even with the most routine work

• Make activities enlightening productive and fun.






thoughts on . . . motivation

Leadership & Management