In his oldie-but-goodie 1995 book ‘Supermotivation’, author Dean Spitzer describes 8 desires which drive our inner motivation. While research on motivation has certainly changed over the years, these desires still ring true. Take a look at the motivators below and decide if they apply to you. If they do, also take a look at the considerations and whether or not they apply to you. (Also take a look at the related Saboteur(s) and check out those posts to see if your motivator is truly a positive motivator or has darker aspects that are driven by your saboteurs.)
What can you do to increase your motivator so your work stays exciting and interesting to you? And if you knew your employee(s)' motivators, what could you do to help them?
Power
Some people are motivated by acquiring and wielding power. They like feeling powerful and need to be in charge. Sometimes this is because they feel powerless in other areas of their lives, or because of a need to try to control the world around them. Power at work often aligns with position (legitimate power), expertise (expert power), and personal charisma (referent power).
Considerations: Investigate the activities that give you the strongest sense of power. What are they? How can you do more of them? What is it about having power that is motivating? Be careful of your motives -- are you trying to control situations or people who can't be controlled? Also, who at work has more power than you do? How did they get it? How can you partner with them or take on some of their responsibilities to acquire some power-by-proxy?
Related Saboteur: Controller
Activity
Some people need to keep active and constantly seek stimulation. This is particularly true of people who are motivated by action and dislike sitting around waiting or engaging in (to them) frustrating planning and preparation. People with a high action need are great for getting things done but may not be as patient as their roles require. The action desire also reflects the need for novelty.
Considerations: What happens when you are still? What do you feel when you're not busy all the time? What is it about continually taking action that is so appealing? Be aware that perpetual busy-ness is often a mask for deeper, more unpleasant feelings that you may be trying to avoid. And make sure that you're not burning yourself out by taking on more tasks than you can handle.
Recognition
Most people feel good when others acknowledge their existence and praise them. People with a high need for recognition appreciate guidance and support, with frequent feedback. If this need is mishandled, they can come off as needy. The desire for recognition is linked to a need for esteem and respect. It also plays to a sense of identity.
Considerations: Whose recognition is most valuable to you? What makes it so valuable? Be careful - sometimes we seek recognition from others because we don't value the contributions we are making ourselves, or don't have good self-esteem. Watch out for linking your own self-worth to the opinions of others. Also, what is the culture of recognition in your organization? If it's low or non-existent, how can you start to change that (even if you're not in charge)?
Related Saboteur: Pleaser
Belonging
When we belong, we are linked to other people or institutions, bonding our identity to them, which makes us feel a part of a greater whole. Being a part of something bigger than ourselves, especially an organization that aligns with our values and beliefs, can make us feel like we are making a difference in the world. Belonging also makes it feel safer to bring our whole selves (good, bad, and ugly) to the job.
Considerations: Sometimes we want to belong at work because there are external perks associated with certain title bands or role types - if this is the case, examine the group that receives those perks and ensure that you want to join them (and not just to get the perks). Also, if you need to change yourself dramatically to fit in or belong, this may not be the right role or organization for you.
Related Saboteur: Pleaser
Competence
People like to feel that they are experts in something, or at least that their skills are improving and developing. (This is why people have unpaid hobbies -- the chance to get better at something and eventually master it.) People with a high need for competence often work hard to achieve it and become experts in one or more fields. When they apply their expertise, they can be excellent employees, though their thirst for learning can, at times, be a distraction.
Considerations: Sometimes people's desire for competence is actually an avoidance of incompetence, which often those same people can't even define or identify. If competence is important to you, make sure you have a clear and concrete definition of what "good enough" looks like and that you aren't unintentionally discounting people you don't deem to be competent (unless you have specific criteria you can use to define it... and even then it's not considerate).
Related Saboteur: Hyper-Rational
Ownership
People with a high need for ownership like to be involved in decisions and feel in control of their work - they may even talk about having a dream to run their own company someday. Employees who own their goals and work tend to be internally motivated to deliver and achieve because they feel the work reflects and represents their personal brand. A feeling of ownership is also often positively correlated with resilience and grit in the face of obstacles.
Considerations: Be careful about hoarding resources and responsibility if this is you. Remember that it's possible to own parts of a project without owning the whole thing, or allowing others to participate in work that you own without having to micromanage them.
Related Saboteur: Stickler
Meaning
People driven by a need for meaning respond well to connecting the dots between what they do at work and the personal values that shape their lives. These people can often derive a sense of identity from their work, and that identity must fit with their own ideas of meaning. Sharing a bigger picture or a sense of interconnectedness can help motivate these people.
Considerations: What is it about your work that gives you meaning? Is it the actual work you perform? Is it the benefits you bring to others? Is it the work of others in the organization (or of the organization in the world) that gives you meaning? It's valuable to investigate what kind of meaning you get and where it comes from, especially if changes in the organization or leadership structure are likely to impact your motivation.
Related Saboteur: Victim
Achievement
People with a high need for achievement can make great employees because they are consistently accomplishing the goals they set for themselves. Doing what you've set out to do can be very gratifying (as anyone who loves crossing things off a to-do list can agree).
Considerations: Feelings of achievement can be quite transitory, leading you to try to repeat or outdo previous achievements, which can be difficult in some roles and downright dangerous if it leads you to burnout or poor decision-making. Figure out what you like about achieving things (and what you might be trying to prove with your achievements) and keep balance in your life.
Related Saboteur: Hyper-Achiever
Not sure which motivator(s) are most important for you? Check out this motivation assessment to see how you score! (And I'm always happy to debrief it with you.)
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