Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Sources of motivation at work

As an adage goes, all fingers of one hand are not the same, similary no two individuals think in the same manner. One may not have some opinion on a matter as other.

So, while handling a team, we better understand what are the source of motivation for each in there. One source motivation may not be so high degree of motivation to other or may mean nothing at all to another.

For any employee or member to service beyond call of the duty, there certainly has to be a source of motivation. I mean like a yummy cheese cake to a child. And these cheese cake demands varies from one to one.
Appraisals/Bonus: Only money means me and nothing else. I dont care whether you appreciate or give me a onsite oppurtunity or give me long speeches. I just need money and only with that you can expect me to work in more & more effecient way. Some people may call him a mean fellow, but not me. I dont find it completely wrong in this. After all, at the end of the day, we work for money and for our living. So, whats wrong? But, one should be cautious that he doesn't cross the thin line of selfishness.

Public Appreciation: Some are so obsessive of the point that, just mere appreciation satisfies them and motivates them. When some are satisfied with just appreciation, some individuals may not be easy to go with demands public appreciation. This is very typical of any human being.

Better career oppurtunities: Aspirations vary from individual to individual and also for the same individual from time to time. Better career opps means a better role, or an onsite oppurtunity or better work environment etc. This completely depends on family conditions and personal situations.

Motivational speeches: I believe, this is the least effective of all above. Mostly these speeches help to achieve the extra mile in crucial times but not always. I better keep these for some other day. But, we generally witness those in cases like, when the project is shelved or you are moved to on-bench or passing through some thin times. When the management talks and starts with these, realize, we are screwed or at the edge of a cliff.

Responsibility: Responsibility is very important for all employees. Unless until you make them responsible for some deliveries or you explicitly tell them ,"Hey...I count on you this time!!", they are not going to get the required motivation.

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