Different Motivational Strokes for Differentially Motivated Folks

As a psychology professor and college basketball coach, I get a unique opportunity to observe motivation in the classroom and on the court. I have also directed my own basketball camps for the past fifteen years. During that time, I have had the opportunity to work with thousands of young athletes. I continue to be fascinated by the various internal and external factors that motivate people.

In my first year as the defensive coordinator with the University of St. Thomas Men's Basketball Team, one of our players (let's call him Billy) was less than motivated to work on important aspects of the game such as staying in an athletic stance, diving for loose balls, boxing out his opponent for a rebound, or doing anything that required exertion on the defensive end of the court. Billy was one of those players coaches like to joke thought that "de-fence" is the thing that goes around a house, not something necessary to win games.

Fresh out of graduate school at the University of Wisconsin, I was pretty sure I had lots of answers on how to motivate athletes. Having just finished my dissertation on competition, cooperation, and intrinsic motivation, I was excited to put this research into action. Intrinsic motivation is the desire to take part in an activity for its own sake (as opposed to doing something for money, rewards, or prestige). I was (and still am) convinced that finding ways to intrinsically motivate players was critical to a team's success. The problem seemed to be Billy's lack of motivation (extrinsic or intrinsic) for defense.

After a couple weeks of futilely hollering at Billy to play harder, stopping drills to emphasize the importance of defense as a way to earn trust among teammates and win championships, I felt hopeless. I decided an individual meeting with Billy was in order. As Billy sat down in my office, I prepared myself for conflict. After all, we were clearly not on the same page when it came to the motivation and desire to play defense. I hoped we could work things out, but also wanted Billy to know that he would not play if he didn't play defense.

I was shocked by the calm tone in Billy's voice as I explained to him that things didn't have to go the way they were in practice. "I understand Coach Tauer," Billy said. I responded, "No, Billy, I don't think you do. It doesn't have to be this way. I don't have to yell at you, make you run sprints, do extra push-ups, and point out your lack of hustle in front of the team."

"Really, I understand coach. It's ok. I don't mind," Billy replied. I continued to explain to Billy that I didn't want to yell at him, and that life for both of us could be simpler and less stressful on the court if Billy would put forth effort on defense. This exchange went back and forth several times, with no progress. I was utterly confused as Billy repeatedly explained that he understood and that he didn't care that I was all over him in practice.

Finally, frustrated, and feeling as if Billy and I were speaking different languages, I stopped talking and asked Billy to elaborate as to why he was so accepting of the current state of affairs - a state of affairs that I believed was unhealthy for Billy, me, and the team as we approached our first game.

Billy looked at me and smiled sheepishly. "Coach," Billy said, "I'm lazy. I've always been lazy. I just don't like to play defense. I want us to do well, and I know defense is important, but you're going to have to yell at me if you want me to play hard. It's ok. I know that I need a kick in the butt."

I sat quietly, reflecting at once on (a) the insight Billy had into is own behavior and motivation, (b) my lingering confusion why Billy wouldn't simply work harder, and (c) my newfound appreciation that coaching was going to be a bit more complicated than I had thought.

We ended up going 24-4 that season, won the conference championship, qualified for the NCAA Division III National Tournament, and exceeded most people's expectations. Billy had a solid season, the best of his career, and he was also right on in his evaluation of himself. He needed a kick in the butt semi-regularly, and seemed to play harder (and better) when this happened.

As teachers, coaches, and parents, we hope that those we mentor will be intrinsically motivated. This is not always reality. One of our great challenges is to figure out what makes different individuals tick, and then to find ways to create an environment that facilitates high levels of motivation in students, athletes, employees, and children. Motivation requires a fit between an individual and that individual's environment. A one size fits all approach simply will not work.

In future posts, we will explore how different individuals may benefit from different motivational messages and approaches. After all, whether it's on the court, in the classroom, or in a corporate setting, understanding what drives people's behavior is paramount to success.

We will discuss topics that include the risks and benefits of rewards, the pros and cons of competition, and the powerful role that sports plays in our culture, with an emphasis on the effects that parents have on children in youth sports. I hope you'll find "Goal Posts" informative and thought provoking.

Until next time, may all your goals sail straight through the uprights!