Motivation Money & Title
What truly energised me working in organisations, was not just money and title – it was and (and still is) doing what I’m good at and what I love.
I often hear leaders complain:
“Our employees are so disengaged, just delivering the bare minimum. They want to earn more and work less. They don’t want to do certain tasks and don’t want to get involved in the details.”
The topic of motivation is multi-layered, yet I do truly believe that every employee can be motivated, when in the right spot, given the right opportunity, working with the right people.
But let’s start at the beginning: What actually motivates you personally?
For me, it has always been:
– Projects that drive big transformational change and build something from the ground up
– Work at the intersection of things: spotting inefficiencies, connecting dots, engaging many stakeholders
– Initiatives where I can implement instead of only theorising – and help others do the same
Of course, a raise or promotion was always welcome in an employment setting – but that was never what made me go above and beyond.
Money or title is not what makes people work late hours or weekends, or completing a task that is not “within their responsibility”. That comes from an inner drive, an inner motivation.
As a leader, motivation starts with two steps:
Know yourself: Be honest: what truly motivates you? Can you live that in your current role? If not, what would need to change? My English teacher used to say: Enthusiasm enthusiasts. And its true – no motivated leaders, no motivated employees.
Know yourself: Each employee has a different driver. The challenge is comparison – many think they want what their colleagues have because it looks more attractive. But often, that’s not what really motivates or fulfils them.
As leaders & mentors, we can facilitate that discovery process – especially for young people.
Do you currently feel unclear about your own motivation and path as employee or leader, check out HORIZON.
MARINA&TEAM
~SURF THE WAVE OF CHANGE WITH US~
