Organizations want motivated people, some people want to be motivated. while others simply don't care. You would think that, as sought after as motivation is there would be a clear understanding of what it is and how you get it. But, alas, like so many other things we are often too busy to clearly understand what motivation is, what brings it and how you keep it.
What is motivation anyway? Some say it is an emotion like happiness, sadness, fear or anger. I am not so sure. One of the fundamental requirements required of an emotion is that it comes upon us with out our doing anything. Take for instance the fear that would come from standing two feet away from a six foot, thousand pound brown bear, standing on its hind legs, mouth open, saliva dripping from incisors and roaring loudly. What you likely feel is fear and that is an emotion.
The emotion of fear that we experience as our friend the bear drips saliva and makes a swath at us, with sharp claws exposed and missing us only a few inches, might motivate us to turn and run as fast as we can. There is a difference here isn't there? Fear is the reason we are motivated to do something other than, just stand there.
Another example is the emotion of happiness that often motivates us to laugh or jump up and down excitedly. In other words motivation is somehow the connection between the emotion and the act, not the emotion or the act itself. In other words, people are often motivated to act by emotions. In any event, motivation is a highly sought after state and deserves some thought.
How does motivation play out in the workplace? It does seem that some people come to work motivated to do the best they can, most all the time, while other come to work with without any motivation, at all. The Gallup organization might call these workers engaged or disengaged, respectively. From their research, they estimate that nearly 70 percent of all employees are disengaged to one degree or another. The question is; Are those without motivation or those disengaged receptive to and capable of being motivated?
It is my belief, built by more than just casual observation, that it is possible to externally motivate someone temporarily, but lasting motivation comes only from within. It is, however, my observation that many people come to work motivated to excel but encounter de-motivating events that temporarily or permanently remove or suppress any and all internal motivation. So, can someone who is unmotivated become motivated? The answer is: Some may become motivated by external means but most will do so only on a temporary basis. Lasting motivation comes from within.
Therefore, what can we do to identify those employees or potential employees who are motivated to superior performance and keep them that way? Here are my thoughts on the best approach to achieve a higher level of superior performing people:
- Build an organizational culture that encourages superior performance and rewards it. Many organizations give no thought to culture, at all. And, an organization's culture can be uplifting or oppressive. Most, unfortunately, are oppressive and discourage superior performance. If it is true, and I believe it is, that external motivation is only temporary and internal motivation can be grown or suppressed and destroyed, what can an organization do to encourage those already motivated, make certain they don't de-motivate any who are and possibly motivate some who are not? Answer: Build a culture that encourages superior performance, confirm with managers that they are responsible for growing their people, educate and give them coaching skills. Insist that they use them.
- Benchmark key positions in the organization so the organization knows what the job need in terms of job skills, behavior, and what the kind effort the job rewards.
- Use some kind of psychometric assessment tool to see beyond the resume and confirm job fit.
- Make hiring managers expert at the critical part of their job, hiring superior people, putting them in the right job and coaching them to success. Many hiring managers have inadequate interviewing skills. Give them regular and intense training in the skill and art of interviewing and selection.
Organizations that implement these four steps will experience significantly improved results. Remember a superior performing employee will outperform a mediocre employee 7 times. It's worth the small bit of extra effort to build a culture that motivates all to perform in a superior manner.
Stephen J. Blakesley, Managing Patner, GMS Talent L P, is an author, speaker,and Radio Show Host. His two, most recent books, "The Target-The Secret to Superior Performance" [http://www.targetthebook.com] and Strategic Hiring are top resources for all business owners, managers and executives.