As a leader, it’s essential to understand the different types of motivation and the best practices for motivating your team. There are two main types of motivation—intrinsic and extrinsic—and each type has its own unique benefits and challenges. Let’s take a closer look:
Intrinsic Motivation Techniques
Intrinsic motivation is the type of motivation that comes from within an individual. It is often referred to as self-motivation because it focuses on internal instead of external rewards. Intrinsic motivation techniques focus on providing employees with autonomy, mastery, and purpose.
Here are some tips for encouraging intrinsic motivation:
- Allow Employees Autonomy. Giving employees freedom to make decisions allows them to feel empowered, which can lead to increased job satisfaction and more creative solutions. This sense of autonomy also encourages employees to take ownership over their work.
- Provide Opportunities for Mastery. Allowing employees the chance to develop their skills helps them become better at their jobs, which can lead to a greater sense of accomplishment and pride in their work. Providing opportunities for mastery also encourages employees to stay motivated by challenging themselves with new tasks or goals.
- Focus On Purpose. Employees who understand the purpose behind their job are more likely to stay motivated than those who do not understand why they are doing what they are doing. Focusing on purpose gives employees a sense of meaning in their work, which can help boost morale and productivity levels.
Extrinsic Motivation Techniques
Extrinsic motivation is based on external rewards or incentives such as money or recognition from peers or management. It is often seen as less meaningful than intrinsic motivation because it relies on external reward systems rather than personal fulfillment or satisfaction from completing a task or reaching a goal. Here are some tips for motivating using extrinsic methods:
- Offer Financial Rewards. Offering financial rewards such as bonuses or raises can be an effective way to motivate employees by giving them something tangible that will benefit them financially in the long run. However, it’s important to ensure that these rewards are fair and equitable across the entire team so that there isn’t any resentment among coworkers who may feel like they are not being rewarded equally.
- Create Recognition Programs. Recognition programs such as awards ceremonies or employee-of-the-month awards help show appreciation while also providing incentive for others on the team who want to be recognized in the same way. These recognition programs should focus on rewarding individuals who exemplify certain values within the organization such as teamwork or leadership skills so that all members of the team feel valued and appreciated regardless of seniority level or position title.
Motivating your team is essential for creating an environment where everyone feels valued and appreciated while doing their best work possible. By understanding both intrinsic and extrinsic methods for motivating your team, you’ll be able to create an atmosphere where everyone feels inspired and supported in achieving success together!
Robert Murray is a Vancouver, BC based Business Strategy Consultant, #1 Best Selling Author, International Keynote Speaker, and TEC Top Speaker of the Year for 2018. For further advice, insight and inspiration on how to unlock your inner leader, connect with Robert on LinkedIn.
Click here to get his weekly Tuesday Tune Up blog posts straight to your inbox.
Tags:
Employee Engagement,
Leadership,
Motivation,
Team Activities