Many of us drag ourselves to work only to watch the minute hand
inch its wayto five o'clock. These games will help boost your employees'
motivation as well as your own.
I knew an administrator once--let's call her Ann--who confessed to
me that she hated her job so much she had trouble making the trip to work
in the morning. Sometimes, she said, she stopped halfway, pulled over and
had long debates with herself about turning back. On all but a few
occasions, she eventually made it to work where she struggled to keep up
appearances and get things done. Ann had suffered through this regimen
for years, at first counting the months, then the weeks, then the days
that would bring her to retirement.
When your energy is low, what, if anything, can you do about it? If
your employees are sluggish, how can you give them a boost? Researchers
in business, psychology and other fields have been working hard (speaking
of motivation) for decades to answer these questions. And significant
advances have been made.
If you or your staff is only going through the motions and if
passion and energy are words you only see in Nike ads, get ready for
liftoff.
WHAT IS MOTIVATION?
Motivation is an internal state of arousal that often precedes
behavior. As Ann's case teaches us, the relationship between motivation
and behavior is only approximate: One can behave without being motivated
to behave. One can also be motivated to behave--for example, to date an
attractive colleague--without ever having an opportunity to behave.
Ideally, we not only experience a high state of arousal but also have an
opportunity to behave in a way that fulfills our need. When we're hungry,
for example, we feel great if we can eat. When we're edgy, we feel
frustrated if we're prevented from moving around.
If you're already highly motivated but can't find a way to reach
your goals, you might want to read books on creativity, career change or,
if all else fails, stress management. What can you do about the opposite
problem: the lack of motivation, either in yourself or in those around
you? How can you induce an internal state of arousal? In other words, how
can you make yourself or others want to behave? How can you get people to
strive to achieve?
These are important questions because if behavior and motivation
aren't in sync--if we drag ourselves through the day or if we lack the
opportunity to act on some performance impulse--productivity, mood,
health and retention may suffer.
SKILL, NOT WILL
Some self-help gurus will try to persuade you that you can bear
down, concentrate and will yourself to be motivated. But willpower works
poorly for most people. Skill, not will, is the best way to change
oneself, and anyone can learn and practice new skills.
Skill acquisition has many advantages over willpower. For one
thing, it saves you a good deal of grunting and groaning. Second, it
prepares you for the long-term; gathering up courage might get you
through the next few minutes, but it's hard to count on for the
long-term.
Third, the right set of skills will help you deal with changing
conditions such as a new boss or a fluctuating economy. Eight types of
skills, also called competencies, can help you build and maintain
motivation. The skilled individual:
1) Manages the environment: You create a workspace that helps
energize you, and you surround yourself with people who bring out your
best.
2) Manages thoughts: You use visualization techniques,
thought-restructuring techniques and affirmations to keep yourself
thinking positively.
3) Sets goals: You make both short-term and long-term goals, and
you formulate plans for how to achieve them.
4) Maintains a healthful lifestyle: You exercise regularly, get
adequate sleep and eat right to keep your energy high.
5) Makes commitments: You make commitments to yourself and to
others to arrange both positive and negative consequences for your
behavior.
6) Monitors behavior: You keep records of your progress to bring
yourself closer to your goals.
7) Manages stress: You practice relaxation techniques, reduce
stress in your environment and plan ahead to stay calm and
productive.
8) Manages rewards: You seek out people who appreciate you and
settings that reward you.
Your strengths and weaknesses in these areas can be measured with a
new test called the Epstein Motivation Competencies Inventory for
Individuals (EMCI-i), and the competencies that managers need to motivate
others can also be measured. Where you're weak, simple games and
exercises can help you build your skills. If you drag yourself out of bed
in the morning, if your hopes are distant memories, then get ready to
play...
THINKING CAPS
In a nutshell: Players give speeches from different perspectives to
simulate a job exchange.
Time: 20 minutes
What you'll learn: Role-playing can be energizing, and a job
exchange might help energize people.
Tags:
business psychology,
clock,
debates,
decades,
going through the motions,
liftoff,
motivation motivation,
Nike,
nike ads,
occasions,
regimen,
retirement,
these games,
wayto
