Motivation is the driver of action. Therefore, motivation

cannot be understood or even rationally discussed with-

out understanding our psyche, what it is, the causal fac-

tors in it, and its structure. To argue otherwise is the

same as stating one can make a motor-vehicle go faster

without being able to drive and with no knowledge of

how the vehicle works.

There is only one transparently constructed general theo-

ry of psychology discussed in the book The Origin of

Consciousness (Little, Graham Richard, The Origin of

Consciousness (July 26, 2016). The Origin of Conscious-

ness, Institute of Theoretical and Applied Social Science,

New Zealand, Sixth edition, March 2016. Available free

in PDF at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2814742)

The theory states (please read ‘Origin’ for full definition

of terms):

The fundamental of human nature is the capacity to

create ideas and apply them to manage and relate to

the environment in which the person finds them-

selves.

The human mind consists of thought (ideas), emotion,

attitude, attention, linked to the body via the brain

structures (neural flow patterns) in reacting part in

the brain.

People act according to the ideas they have in mind.

The intensity with which ideas held is directly propor-

tional to the emotions associated with those ideas.

The human spirit is the emotional sense of self arising

from first formation of the brain in the womb, to

development of language and the capacity for con-

ceptualization in the infant.

The human psyche consists of specific structures of mind

relative to a specific aspect of the environment, or

to specific issues or ideas. A specific structure is

defined as a ‘mental set’.

Our spirit is linked all mental sets and thus our spirit

influences the emotions in all mental set and forms

the ‘emotional tone’ to our personality. A person

who ‘senses’ the glass half full or half empty for

example.

Understanding ‘psychological overflow’

Due linkages of mental sets a minor triggering event my

draw on emotions in a major but linked mental set result-

ing in a response by the person out of proportion to what

would rationally be expected. That is some circumstance

may draw a response based on emotions not immediately

involved in the circumstance. During the response the

person may not be aware of the origination of the re-

sponse, only aware of how they feel and what they feel

they need do.

For example, a team leader may speak to correct a team

member, the coaching is quite minor. The person is with-

drawn and unresponsive. In their mind they linked to

the recent spate of newspaper articles on how compa-

nies rip off people, and are making extraordinary and

unreasonable profits.

Building emotion at work

The OPD-HCD™ technology for team development

stresses clear direction, then enabling each person build

that direction in mind in the form of a game plan. The

game plan is triggered when the person comes to work

and thus forms the core of the mental set structure of

‘me at work’ (see newsletters 2-12, & 14-19, in sum-

mary section of the LinkedIn profile

www.linkedin.com/in/grahamrlittle).

Every person will have their internal emotions associat-

ed with the mental set structure of ‘me at work’. Thus

each person will have their ‘internal drive’… this will

be heavily influenced by their spirit, their self-esteem

(the elaboration of our spirit which develops via lan-

guage and conceptualization after the initial emotional

core is formed), and their ideas on goals for themselves,

life purpose and other ideas in their world view that

bear to their involvement at work.

The Team leader then seeks to build additional emotion

associated with the game plan. Developing fear works,

but fear is not recommended as a long term team cul-

ture.

The key positive emotion is fun, so the team leader aims

for all team members to deliver their agreed game plan,

and have fun while doing so. The external emotions

developed by the team leader is supported by the team

making the experience at work being enjoyable.

A further important process is the team leader under-

standing the spirit, so ensuring the person gets feedback

that they are doing well, or correct them as needed, so

that when the person looks in the mirror every morning,

they like and respect the person looking back at them

Engagement as finding corporate balance

It is important to understand that the issue of ‘self at

work’ will exist in many interlinked mental sets. Thus

the internal drive of a person at work will be influenced

by many issues, many of which may not directly in-

volve the exact work circumstance. For example, if

person was concerned about environmental pollution

and felt the company was contributing to future pollu-

tion problems. This could easily dampen the drive of the

person in a work team.

The definition of engagement (#14 & #15) is the person

able to visualise the game plan, ‘see’ themselves acting

it out, with no negative emotions or no triggering

thoughts that erode the internal drive of the person to

strive for the perfect game. If there are ideas/emotions

that erode the drive, then this needs to be used by the

corporate leadership to review policy and corporate

ethics to enable all people to feel peace as employees.

OPD theory is grounded on the only scientific general theory of psychology

OPD-HCD™: Enabling perfect game plans perfectly delivered

Newsletter #26 Understanding human motivation

Newsletter topics

1. Seeking new thinking.

2. How to double profits.

3. Goal—action.

4. Linking staff action to

strategy.

5. Human performance

driving results.

6. HR as rollout of strate-

gy.

7. Behavioral structure of

the organization.

8. Understanding human

psychology.

9. Linking people to be-

havioral structure.

10. Perfect human perfor-

mance.

11. Performance manage-

ment moving actual toward perfect perfor-mance.

12. Built in flexibility.

13. A scientifically proven

balanced solution to human performance as a driver of results.

14. Redefining engage-

ment.

15. Culture.

16. All HR policy changes.

17. Lifting expectation.

18. Redefining leadership.

19. Redefining manage-

ment.

20. Why has it not been

done before?

21. Stop. Reflect. Chose

and improve.

22. Why can’t we do it

ourselves?

23. Mind of the CEO.

24. HR as the ‘right hand’

of the CEO.

25. Building a ‘verbal

ready’ Executive.

26. Understanding human

motivation.

27. Building and imple-

menting an integrated motivation policy.

28. Human capital.

29. Finding and develop-

ing talent.

30. Choosing better ideas.

Reading these newsletters you will gain new insight into how to manage the link between people and your organization so that both benefit by increased results, greater success, increased profits, more fulfilling work, and greater satisfaction.

Contact: info@opdcoach.com to meet and explore how this system will lift results in your business. Alternative advise us, do not send, if you do not wish to receive more emails.