Managers need to get results through others. Money motivates but only to a certain point. What no or low cost motivators can you use to achieve more through others?
If you are a manager or leader in an organisation, you need to get results through people. Ask some people and they will tell you that it is money that motivates. Money without doubt is important because it allows you to do and acquire things that are important. Yet in reality it will only be a motivator for so long. People reach a point of indifference to money, often quicker than you would expect. So what motivates people apart from money?
Autonomy
People are creative individuals who figure out ways to achieve results. Providing people with the autonomy or freedom to determine how to accomplish outcomes helps people learn and feel that they can be trusted.
Helping Others
How often when you ask people what is important to them do they say something like helping others or making a difference? When people are helping others they feel like they are contributing, going beyond the minimum and sharing their own unique knowledge or insight.
Delivering Good Service
Businesses exist to meet a need. It might be legal, accountancy, IT or care for people who are sick or vulnerable. Who do you know that turns up at work with the intention of delivering bad service? Think about it, how motivated would you be if you worked in a business that had a reputation for bad or inferior service?
Appreciation
No one likes to be taken for granted. We all need and want to be appreciated for what we do. Yet sadly managers often fail to do something that costs nothing but has a huge impact. A thank you or well done to an employee is the most readily available motivator for managers or leaders.
Development
The vast majority of people want to be developed. Development is not just about training courses and conferences. It includes giving people new challenges, special projects which might be in the business or in the community where the business is located. Think about how you could help others to grow.
At the end of the day there is no magic formula for motivation but a few simple no or low cost things can make all the difference.
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