| I am often asked, by my clients and other leaders, | | | | aren't. What's the difference? Do you really believe |
| what's the secret to increase employee motivation? | | | | those highly motivated employees succeed because |
| Boy, I wish I had an answer to that question. To be | | | | of rewards or incentives you offer? Hogwash! They |
| honest, I do have an answer; it's just not one I think | | | | would be doing what they are doing whether you |
| most of you reading this article want to hear. I do not | | | | offered incentives, promotions or anything else. What |
| believe we can increase employee motivation...forget it, | | | | drives them is internal not external. The promotion, gifts, |
| it can't happen. That's a pretty strong statement, I | | | | incentives...those are simply the logical outcome for a |
| know, and I want to tell you why I believe this to be | | | | job well done. |
| true. | | | | Now what about the others, those employees whose |
| I want to take out of the equation anything that | | | | motivation you wonder how to increase. Ain't going to |
| negatively impacts employees' attitudes. There may | | | | happen. Some may improve with some training or |
| be situations that are justifiably causing employees to | | | | praise or mentoring. Some may improve with threats |
| have a negative attitude or lack of motivation, such as | | | | or negative performance reviews or other forms of |
| massive layoffs, uncertainty about the future of the | | | | punishment. They may respond positively for a while |
| company, management spending money on trips or | | | | and you'll think "Ah, I found the secret" but you didn't. All |
| new office furniture while telling employees there is no | | | | you did was learn something about human nature. |
| money for raises...clearly there are situations where | | | | People are draw toward pleasure or away from pain. |
| one could understand a lack of motivation on the part | | | | As soon as whatever is acting as the catalyst to |
| of the employee. However, each of these employees | | | | change their behavior is removed or lessened, they will |
| still has a choice as to how they respond to these | | | | fall back to their true nature. You cannot keep your |
| situations. It doesn't give them a blank check for having | | | | attention on them long enough to increase employee |
| a negative attitude forever. | | | | motivation for the long term. And you shouldn't have to. |
| Once we take out the situations mentioned above, | | | | As leaders we have to accept that employees cannot |
| then we get down to the individual employee. Are they | | | | be motivated to improve their performance. Assuming |
| motivated, and if not, how do we increase employee | | | | we can change an adult's attitude and behavior is |
| motivation? I believe either by nurture or nature people | | | | fruitless. Once we acknowledge this fact we can |
| are motivated or not. Look around your company. I'm | | | | make informed choices about our options. That's |
| betting you'll quickly identify those highly motivated | | | | where you as a leader have power, not in attempting |
| employees and just as quickly identify the ones that | | | | to increase employee motivation. |