Career Advice - The Secret Key To Motivation
That's easier said than done. In fact, managing the activities of others is the most difficult task in the world. After all, each human being has a mind of his own. Furthermore, the idea of depending on others to get things done is inherently at odds with the traits normally found in successful people such as confidence in one's own ability, controlled urgency, assertiveness and a yearning for control.
But if you crave success, you have to accept the proposition that you must learn to do less of the assignment at hand yourself and spend more time motivating others. The fact is a manager can't motivate people. In the real world, people have to motivate themselves. The manager is most likely to accomplish his responsibilities as a motivator by providing an environment in which motivation can happen.
Here's the secret key. This environment exists when people are working in an organization that provides satisfactory answers to one simple question that everyone has on his or her mind: What's in it for me?
The answer may take many forms, but it will usually have to be made up of one or more of these ingredients:
• Money is the most obvious answer to the basic matter of self-interest that drives us all.
Money represents the power to buy the necessities, as well as the "good things" of life. It means security and prestige. It provides a yardstick of success.
• Respect and recognition combine to make a set of highly prized rewards. Mary Kay Ash, who built a merchandising power house by creating opportunities for people to motivate themselves to success, declared: "There are two things people want more than s*x and money; they are recognition and praise."
• People want to be rewarded by having work they can enjoy doing and take pride in.
• Everyone wants to feel what he or she does is important as an individual with influence over the outcome.
Parachutes used by U.S. airmen early in World War II were failing to open five times out of 100 jumps. Obviously, nothing less than perfection could be accepted. Repeated attempts to motivate parachute packers and inspectors to do a better job showed little results.
Finally, the workers motivated themselves to 100 percent quality when they were required to jump from airplanes wearing one of the 'chutes they had packed.
• People will motivate themselves to do good work when they feel they have an opportunity for personal growth and advancement.
• People have a strong incentive to motivate themselves when they believe they have a hand in determining the purpose of their work.
What's in it for you when you master the skills of motivation? Success as a manager with all the rewards that it provides.
Related Tags: motivation, career advice, career counseling, career success
Ramon Greenwood, Senior Career Counselor for Common Sense At Work, is a former Senior Vice President of American Express. To subscribe to his f*ee semi-monthly newsletter and blog please go to http://www.commonsenseatwork.com/getitnow
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- 5 Reasons That a Restaurant Should Use a Restaurant Recruiter
Have you ever noticed how many restaurants pop-up over time but then disappear just as quickly? Runn - Does Money Motivate?
Some say money can't buy happiness, but data shows that for those who can barely pay the monthly bil - Because Workforce Friendly Policies Payoff
Employer-sponsored wellness programs are becoming more popular as companies strive to maintain a hea - EAP Value
Life would be simpler if we could set aside our personal issues and emotional baggage when the workd - Hiring an Expert SEO Company to Improve Your Online Business
Search Engine Optimization or SEO Services are used to make your website or online business popular - Why Safety Training at Workplace is Important
Safety training at workplace should be one of the top priorities of your business. An effective safe - Team Building: Brain and Sweat to Attain Company's Central Goal
Are you one of those employees branded ineffective and unproductive? Reasons might be the sense of d - Security Alarm System
It is a must that houses and offices install a security alarm when we speak about safety reasons. Se - Workplace Safety Tips
When we speak of safety based on books, its importance is next to food. It is essential to all indiv - The Benefits Of Lease-to-own Properties
One of the hit real estate investments today is to buy properties that will later be put up as "leas
Most viewed articles in this category:
- A Map Mural for Your Business
Yay! That retail store you've been planning has finally opened its doors and you are officially in b - Attracting Customers Through An Improved Shopping Experience
So many new shopping malls and supermarkets are put up every year. Many more are already in business - "To Oz!": Leading a Resilient-High Achievement Organization
One of my favorite movies is "The Wizard of Oz" based on the book by Frank Baum. The story is about - 5 Critical Items Never to be Included in Cost Benefit Analysis
When dealing with decisions using Cost Benefit Analysis techniques it is very important to follow th - Collaboration and Change
I’m an expert on change and leadership, but my most popular speaking topic this past year, and - Workplace Gap
In your workplace, are you a manager with a smart group of people and they aren't responsive to your - Leadership - The Proper Relationship with Subordinates
In the army, "the men" are kept separated from those known as "the officers." This comes from the id - The 10 Most Asked Questions of Cost Benefit Analysis
When dealing with decisions using Cost Benefit techniques it is very important to follow the proven - Cubicle Space Planning
Space planning is an essential element of any project and efficient planning serves the dual purpose - Why Passenger Surveys are a Transport Operators Best Friend
Public transport operators who already use passenger surveys may not fully appreciate the multiple b