People Management Skills - Motivation Training
Motivation Training
Motivation is important to any team because, if the team lacks motivation, then it will not be as productive as it could be.
If productivity drops, then your chances of success are reduced. If the team is highly motivated, then the team becomes more productive, and your chances of success improve.
Proven ways to motivate people at work.
What is motivation?
Motivation is an emotional state.
Motivation is an emotional state that is derived from thoughts about consequences.
Motivation is an emotional state that is derived from thoughts about consequences of doing, or failing to do, a certain task.
There are two major forms of motivation:
- Positive motivation
- Negative motivation
Positive motivation is based on thoughts about the positive benefits of achieving a goal or doing a certain task.
Negative motivation is based on thoughts about the negative, painful consequences that you will suffer if you don't to a certain task or if you fail to achieve a certain goal.
Both positive and negative motivation will work to inspire a person to act.
Examples of Positive Motivation
You will be motivated to do those things which you believe will (or could) make your life better.
For instance, you may be motivated to exercise: not because exercise is pleasurable but because it is beneficial to your health and physical appearance.
You are motivated to get on a plane to travel across the world, not because travelling on a plane is pleasurable, but because travelling on a plane is beneficial to your holiday plans.
You may be motivated to climb a mountain; not because mountain climbing is easy or even pleasurable but because of the positive meanings that "climb every mountain" has on your psyche.
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Examples of Negative Motivation
Negative motivation is motivation away from a painful consequence.
You are motivated to obtain a TV licence not because you relish the idea of owning a TV licence, or because you want to watch programming produced by the BBC; you buy a TV licence in order to avoid the painful consequences you will suffer if you don't have one.
You may be motivated to do your homework not because you relish the idea of writing the essay, but rather because you want to avoid the painful consequences that you will suffer if you don't write the essay.
You may be motivated to go on a calorie controlled diet, not because you relish the idea of eating more vegetables, but rather because you want to avoid the painful consequences you will suffer if you keep eating too many cakes.
You can be made to move (ie motivated) by the thought of painful consequences. The same motivational principles that apply to you, also apply to others
Therefore you can motivate other people by the same two types of motivation; either by positive or negative motivators.
What are the positive motivators?
There are seven primary positive motivators:
- Money
- Security
- Achievement
- Recognition
- Praise
- Team acceptance
- Personal pride
Money
Most people are motivated by money because money can be translated into other values.
Security
Most people can be motivated by the promise of greater security because most people like to think the future is settled and that everything in the future will turn out well.
Achievement
Most people are positively motivated by the sense of achievement after they have succeeded at a difficult task.
Recognition
Most people will be positively motivated by tokens of recognition: medals, decorations, certificates and awards.
Praise
Most people are motivated by verbal praise and appreciation of others: social motivators
Team acceptance
Team acceptance and loyalty to the group is a major motivator. The military use team loyalty to motivate each individual to give his best (her best) for the good of the team, or the unit.
Personal pride
Perhaps the strongest motivator is personal pride; you may be motivated to do your best so that you can feel good inside your soul, because you know that you gave it your best shot.
What are the negative motivators?
There are two major categories of negative motivators:
- Fear
- Anger
Fear
You will act out of fear. You will be motivated to act to avoid danger, loss or threat.
So; you can use the threat of danger or loss to motivate others. You could say "Do it or else!"
Anger
Anger is a negative emotion. It can lead to revenge. People are strongly motivated by anger and revenge. So you may be able to motivate someone else by stirring up feeling of anger and revenge.
WARNING: Although the negative motivators do work, they are corrosive to the spirit and detrimental over the long term. Meaning, to live in a state of anger, fear, resentment, revenge or threat, is not conducive to long term productivity because negative emotions such as these burn out the soul-circuits.
Our Motivation Advice for Managers
Use the positive motivators.
Avoid using the negative motivators.
Use money, achievement, promise, praise, challenge, team spirit, rewards and incentives as your main means of motivation.
Use threats, fear, loss and painful consequences only occasionally and as a means of last resort.
Don't use negative motivators as your primary tool.
Use the seven positive motivators as your primary tool.
Creating more motivation(Blog)
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Definition: motivation
Motivation is the feeling that drives people to act. In management, it is an emotional state born from thoughts about the good or bad results of action. It pushes someone either towards a gain or away from a loss, comes in positive or negative form, and its level sets how much effort and output a person gives.
Show CG4D Definition
- Arises from conscious thoughts about future consequences
- Triggers purposeful action towards or away from those consequences
- Exists in two distinct forms: positive (reward-seeking) and negative (pain-avoiding)
- Directly determines the amount and quality of work delivered
Article Summary
When managers link clear reward to effort, team motivation rises; studies show engaged teams give 17% more work and 21% more profit. Use the seven positive drives-money, safety, success, respect, praise, team spirit and pride-and keep fear or anger only as a last step. Motivate with hope, not threat, and higher output follows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that frequently get asked about this topic during our training sessions.
What is the difference between positive and negative motivation?
Why should managers favour positive motivators over fear?
What are the seven positive motivators named in the article?
How can fear motivate a team, and what is the risk?
Can anger ever be useful as a motivator?
How does motivation link to team productivity?
Which simple actions can a manager take today to raise motivation?
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Did You Know: Key Statistics
In Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2024 report, teams with high employee engagement record 17% higher productivity and 21% higher profitability than teams with low engagement. The CIPD Good Work Index 2024 shows that 68% of UK staff who receive regular praise from their manager feel highly motivated, compared with 27% of those who rarely receive praise.About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
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