Motivation matters

Quality Assurance Specialist Last week I asked my 3-year-old son to bring me the TV remote, and his reply was simply “No”. I asked again and again hoping for a response, but all my efforts went in vain. Finally, I told him “bring me the remote and I will give you 100 fils”, and he brought it to me in a matter of seconds. “I will give you 100 fils” was like the magic phrase that changed my son’s attitude and behavior from “absolute no” to “sure dad, I love you”. 

I know that you all now thinking, your son is a materialistic human being, but that is not true. Because at many times he would do what I ask without blinking an eye, and at times he wouldn’t do a thing, even if I offered him BD 100. 

Then what is driving his actions and behavior? 

It is simply a matter of motivation. 

Motivation seems to be one of the greatest challenges for supervisors, managers and leaders. It is complicated, if motivating a 3-year-old boy is so difficult and unpredictable, imagine how difficult it is to motivate a very diversified team in your workplace. 

There is one motivation theory in particular which can simplify the process of motivation, Herzberg’s Theory. The theory suggests that there are 3 main ways to motivate in general, which are represented by the metaphors; the carrot, the whip and the plant. 

The carrot represents incentives and rewards, like when I asked my son “bring me the remote and you will get 100 fils”. This concept is commonly used in organizations, for the task(s) you do you will receive these rewards/incentives. A common example of this in the workplace is the sales commissions intended to motivate the sales team. 

One main reason which usually results in failing to motivate using this motivator is that managers tend to keep the targets difficult to achieve and, in most cases, unachievable. The staff will eventually get tired of chasing the carrot, and the rewards will transform from being a motivator to a demotivator. 

The whip represents punishments and disciplinary actions, it is when you tell your son “if you don’t complete your homework, you won’t be allowed to play video games in the weekend”. A common example of this in the workplace is saying “If you don’t complete the task within the deadline you will receive a warning letter”. 

The plant represents a healthy environment which allows people to flourish and be self-motivated to do the tasks themselves. It is like when my son brings me the remote without me even asking. In the workplace, this can be achieved by challenging staff to be self-managed where the required resources are available and providing them with coaching and mentorship when needed.

There is no doubt that these 3 types of motivators work at times and fail in many other times. There is no single type of motivation that works best. 

The ultimate key to understanding motivation is by knowing it is like almost everything else in life; driven by needs. Managers and leaders need to understand that their staff has different individual needs. Hence, a single style of motivation cannot work with every member of their teams. 

Some need recognition and the carrot work best with them. Some need growth and the plant is the way to motivate them. Some are driven by fear and job safety is what they need, then the whip will motivate them to do the job when required. 

The challenge in motivation is not about applying the different motivation theories. The challenge is about learning your staff, understanding their needs and being as close as possible to them. 

As a supervisor, manager or leader don’t build bricks and walls between you and your staff. Know that the easiest way to understand their needs is by them telling you about it. If their needs are met, then your job is done.