If you want to reduce conflict in the workplace and fully engage yourself or your team then read on! Daniel Pink is the author of DRIVE: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.
The next few blog posts will describe important aspects of autonomy that you can adapt for yourself or your team. Some of the information is not new YET Daniel Pink shares interesting strategies to explore what motivates you and others.
Autonomy is always an issue that my clients want me to cover in their training. They always ask me, how can I motivate my team or fire up the troops?
This post and the ones that follow will help start your own journey on this topic.
Click here for my short video on The Importance of Being Accountable.
Daniel Pink tells us that Motivation 1 is about survival only.
Motivation 2 is about a drive to seek reward and avoid punishment such as bonuses or incentive plans.
I will describe Daniel Pink’s ideas about Motivation 3 in the next blog post. I will give you a hint…it is all about autonomy.
Motivation 2 sounds like…”If you do this…you will get this.” For example, “If you improve productivity we will give you a bonus.” People expect these kinds of rewards all the time and it takes away their autonomy. People don’t have control of their lives with this kind of motivation. They eventually do the task for the reward.
The carrots and sticks approach creates the following behavior:
- Diminishes performance
- Crushes creativity
- Fosters short term thinking
At times the carrots and sticks approach will work. For example, promise an office party if the team does some mundane task on a weekend. “If you come to the office on the weekend to stuff envelopes, we will have a gourmet dinner delivered to our office this week.” There is no hidden agenda in this statement. The team knows that for this one mundane project, they will get rewarded.
Carrots and Sticks (Motivation 2) works when:
- You offer a rational for why the task is necessary
- Acknowledge that the task is boring
- Allow people to complete the task their own way
Please share the good or bad news on how you use this kind of approach.
What has worked and what has back fired when you use the “if you do this…you will get this” approach?
Look for strategies on the new way of motivating others in the next few blogs. I will share case scenarios that I have seen with my own clients on how they have turned non engaged teams into self motivated employees.
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Joyce Weiss Training & Development LLC > www.JoyceWeiss.com
Please let others know about these blog posts on reducing conflict at the workplace and home.There may be someone in your life who is experiencing some stress… who could benefit from the inspiration and knowledge on improving their working condition or home life.
Until next time,
This is Joyce Weiss, Conflict Resolution Consultant
I help others have tough conversations so they get a better night’s sleep.
Remember…You Get What YOU Tolerate!
PS Click here to check out my short video on the importance of autonomy