the motivation myth

THEMOTIVATIONMYTHThe mismatch between how we motivate and how we are motivated

• The act or process of motivating.

• A motivating force, stimulus, or

influence

• The reason for an action.

• That which gives purpose and

direction to behavior.

• Factors that stimulate desire and

energy in people to be continually

interested in and committed to a

job, role or subject.

MOTIVATION DEFINED

To D

oW

ant T

o D

o

• Money – salary/incentives/bonus

• Recognition/Praise/Awards

• Promotions/Status/Titles

• Goals/Objectives/Opportunity

• Measurements/Reporting

• Fear

COMMON MOTIVATORS

• Classic conditioning— unconditioned stimulus

— unconditioned response

PAVLOV’S THEORY

— conditioned stimulus

— conditioned response

APPLYINGPAVLOV’STHEORY

– Motivation 1.0

– Motivation 2.0

– Motivation 2.1• Maslow

Animal Instinct

Carrot/Stick

Windows Vista

THE HISTORY OF MANKIND

• Our Operating Systems (OS)

ABOUTMOTIVATION 2.0• Why we do what we do

– Encarta/Wikepedia/Open Source

– Extrinsic vs Intrinsic motivators

• What is the purpose in what we do

– Economics – Is it all about the money?

– $10 test

• How we do what we do– Mechanical/repetitive– Creative

• What the research says (Harvard)

– Intrinsic motivation is conducive to creativity;

– Controlling extrinsic motivation is detrimental to creativity.

COMMON MOTIVATION MYTHS

MYTH #1

MOTIVATION PRECEDES ACTION

Motivation often follows action. We

don’t really need to do what is

motivating before we do what’s

important.

In fact, waiting for inspiration is

dangerous, What would happen to

athletes if they only trained on the days

they felt inspired?

Often we think “I have to feel motivated BEFORE I do what matters.”

Studies show that “Smoking Causes

Cancer” signs actually encourage

cravings – motivating more of the

behavior, not less.

MYTH #2

MOTIVATION IS ALWAYS RATIONAL

Not Really – you might be able to motivate

them

in the short term with the carrot or stick,

however

in the long term you often undermine that

person’s intrinsic motivation toward the

activity or opportunity.

MYTH #3

I CAN MOTIVATEPEOPLE

MYTH #4

FEAR AS A MOTIVATOR

Fear is a great motivator, for a VERYshort time. This is why lots of yelling fromthe boss won’t seem to light a spark underemployees for a very long time.

Fear/pain is often over leveraged.

MYTH #5MOTIVATION IS A UNIDIRECTIONAL FORCE

A famous test asked children to forego eating a marshmallow for ten minutes, in order to receive two. Some managed, but many did not.

One part of the brain is activated when thinking about the marshmallow.

Another part of the brain thinks about the longer term priorities – that’s why we often feel torn.

MYTH #6SOME PEOPLE HAVE NOMOTIVATION

Everyone has motivation. In some cases their motivation may be to move away from things they don’t like – This is where goals are often helpful.

Generally what slows people down is not a lack of motivation, but the presence of obstacles.

(Recruiting is about removing obstacles)

Inflating motivation sounds sensible, but it rarely does anything to help remove obstacles.

Goals that people set for themselves and that are devoted to attaining mastery are usually healthy.

Goals imposed by others - time to fill, number of hires, and so on –can sometimes have dangerousside effects.Examples

– Sears– Enron– Ford

MYTH #7

METRICS DRIVE MOTIVATION

Extrinsic rewards can motivate those in highly mechanical, algorithmic positions.

Studies show that tangible rewards (After baselines are met) tend to have substantially negative effect on intrinsic, long term motivation.

When businesses focused on the short-term and opt for controlling people’s behavior, they often do considerable long-term damage.Harvard Study of 23

MYTH #8

REWARDS MOTIVATE

Motivation 3.0Tapping into the power of Intrinsic Motivation

1. Our desire to be self-directed

2. Our desire to improve what we do

3. Our desire to be part of something

larger than ourselves

THE IMPORTANCE OFAUTONOMY

• Sense of personal choice that helps people feel good about what they are doing.

• 4 major areas– Who helps complete the task

• Who they work with

– What the task itself is (20% time)• Gmail, Android, Google Talk

– When the task is completed• Input versus output

– How the task is competed• Zappos

“Control leads to compliance, autonomy leads to engagement.”

DEFINING AND UNDERSTANDINGMASTERY

• The desire to get better and better at something that matters.

• The 3 laws of mastery:

– Mastery is a Mindset• Can you improve?

• Can your delivery improve?

– Mastery is a Pain• Research – non-cognitive traits

• Tiger Woods

– Mastery is impossible to achieve• Its about the pursuit

• Attracts because it alludes

PURPOSE FINDING DEEPER MEANING

• To have real purpose is to find a

deeper meaning in our work.– Changing Goals

• From Money to meaning

– Changing Words• They versus We

– Changing Ethics• Careful - Diversity

– Motivation 1.0

– Motivation 2.0

– Motivation 2.1

– Motivation 3.0

Animal Instinct

Carrot/Stick

Windows Vista

Mac OS X

THE HISTORY OF MANKIND

• Our Operating Systems (OS)

CREATING INSPIRATION

• 10 percent time– What will they think of next?

• Give up control– Involve others in goal setting

• Use the pronoun test– They or We (Especially with candidates)

• Peer to Peer rewards– From “If/Then” to “Now/That”

• Purpose Audit– What is measured? Defines Purpose

• Turn employees into teachers

• Focus on the emotional not just practical– Real candidate drivers