In our shared journey into decision making, we have considered being in the middle of a decision and how memory plays an intrinsic part in our choices. The first gave us context. The second gave us a source. Now we look at a different perspective and in doing so ask a complex question…what influences decision making? What influences the filtering system or perhaps more succinct, how our bias (built from experience and etched into our memory) factors in the process? To be fair, a post consisting of 500 words or less will not capture the entire breadth of possibilities. So I will “chunk” my thoughts. My first chunk is pretty big one…Motivation.
“We don’t see things as they are. We see them as we are.” Anais Nin
Perhaps the biggest realization a manager must have about motivation is that it is always the choice of the individual. A manager cannot make someone motivated. We get that power. We get to choose our own behaviors. Managers can do the best, most righteous thing each and every day with the utmost and noblest of intentions and we still decide. They can be the ‘funny’ manager, the most transparent, passionate, fair and equitable one or even the one that is making noticeable strides to improve their character and we decide. Despite how much a manager may show, clarify, define, expect or plead for motivation, we get to decide whether or not we are motivated.
So the very best you can do is change the question. It’s a change from “how do I motivate my team member?” to “how do I influence their decision making?” If the team member has the power, our verbs must also change to stimulate their personal choice machine or motivational triggers. Verbs like provoke, share, enable, encourage, challenge and collaborate. But where to start?
I would start simple. Get to know them. Ask questions, listen and let them tell you…
- What frustrates them
- Their needs from a manager and leader
- How they prefer their communication
- The best way to provide feedback and ideas
- Any short and long term goals
- And even what motivates them
If they decide their own motivation, their own behavior, this then suggests the best a manager can do is identify with as many triggers as possible. Then leverage them as needed or as the situation dictates. A very common mistake by managers is to assume that a team member’s lack of enthusiasm or initiative is a sign they are unmotivated. No, they are motivated. Just not in the task or in its relative value or in the way in which it was communicated. Something is out of alignment.
Oh yeah, and thoughts like “employees these days just don’t get it” or “they just don’t seem to have any drive”…this goes into new host of considerations about decision making, memory and motivation.
Chunk #2: Sociology. See next post…