Chasing 57: A Curious Case of Motivation and the Workplace

Why do you suddenly see it everywhere? Uncover the hidden power of motivation and how it impacts your work and your team.

Have you ever noticed that when you’re interested in a particular car, you see it everywhere? Or when you have a special number (like 57), it’s all over the place?

Well, you’re not seeing that car or number everywhere. Instead, your mind is playing tricks on you. It’s called the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, also known as frequency illusion, which occurs when something you recently learned or noticed suddenly appears everywhere.

This cognitive bias is rooted in two psychological processes:

1. Selective Attention: Once you become aware of something, your brain starts to notice it more often, filtering out other stimuli.

2. Confirmation Bias: You tend to remember instances that confirm your new awareness while ignoring those that don't.

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A St. Paul Pioneer Press reader coined the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon in the 1990s. After first encountering the name of the German terrorist group Baader-Meinhof, the reader noticed it appearing frequently. Despite its name, the phenomenon is not related to the group itself.

My Own Phenomenon

I’ve been experiencing this phenomenon lately regarding work motivation. Without even looking for it, I’m encountering it everywhere. This last week, I heard it in conversations with employees, consultations with managers, sound bites from trainers, and interviews with job candidates.

I’m not prompting this topic; I feel it is prompting me. The Pulitizer-prize-winning author Annie Dillard wrote, “You were made and set here to give voice to this, your own astonishment.”

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I am becoming astonished with the subject of work motivation. (By the way, Dillard’s book Teaching a Stone to Talk is number 57 in the series.)

I’ve been curious about work motivation for months and, as you know, have written about how managers can take different approaches to motivate their employees:

• views of work

• work values

• heuristic inspirations

• workplace needs

Each approach has its benefits and adherents, but honestly, I am at a loss. They would have satisfied me a few years ago, but in my current context, they do not. I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.

Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For

Now, as I manage people and help others to manage people, I’m looking for guidance regarding managing work motivation that is:

1. Simple: Easily understood and implemented

2. Practical: Focuses on useful actions

3. Individual: Addresses each employee

4. Memorable: Leaves a lasting impression

This fascination was fueled early on by frequency illusion (how interesting that it keeps showing up, so it’s on my mind, and there it is again, which makes me think of it more, and I see it again, so I’m thinking about it…and so forth).

Still, now, my preoccupation seems to make good business sense.

According to research by vocational psychologists:

• Work motivation is critical to sustained performance and organizational success

• Work motivation plays a vital role in employee productivity

• Work motivation is one of the three crucial elements of employee performance, along with ability and work environment (ability + work environment + motivation = performance)

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Work Motivation Defined

So, what is work motivation? I like this definition from academic researcher and business textbook author Craig C. Pinder: “A set of energetic forces that originate both within as well as beyond an individual’s being, to initiate work-related behavior and to determine its form, direction, intensity, and duration.”

Let's break down some terms:

• Energetic forces: The driving powers that fuel action.

• Originates within and beyond: Influenced by internal and external factors.

• Initiates work-related behavior: Starts actions related to job tasks.

Motivation is so central that it determines all aspects of the work itself:

• Form: The type of behavior or action an employee takes.

• Direction: The goal or outcome that the behavior is aimed at achieving.

• Intensity: The level of effort and energy an employee puts into their work.

• Duration: The length of time an employee can sustain their effort and motivation.

In The International Journal of Manpower, management professor K.A. Kovach writes that organizations can utilize individual employee feedback “to gain information that can be used by managers to improve employee motivation.” (That’s from page 57 of his article, by the way).

To illustrate how pivotal and elemental motivation is to doing work, consider the case of the young architect.

The Case of the Young Architect

A young architect, Elena, stared at the blank canvas before her. The city council had announced a competition to redesign the waterfront park, a project she’d dreamed of since childhood. But she feared criticism from the public and pressure from the deadline.

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Energetic forces: At the start, Elena’s internal drive was her love for design.

Originates within and beyond: Her motivation stemmed from her artistic vision and the desire to create a space that resonated with the community.

Initiates work-related behavior: Elena forced herself to open her design software despite hesitation. She started sketching, her hand moving almost automatically. The initial spark of inspiration, however faint, was enough to initiate the work.

Form: Elena focused on a design emphasizing natural elements, incorporating flowing pathways, native plants, and interactive water features. This departure from her usual sleek, modern style felt right for the park.

Direction: Her goal was to create a park that fostered community interaction and environmental awareness. She envisioned families picnicking, children playing, and artists finding inspiration in the serene landscape.

Intensity: In the beginning, her effort was sporadic. She'd work for an hour, get distracted, and then return with renewed but short-lived vigor. But as the design took shape, her intensity grew. The vision became clearer, and she poured her heart into every detail.

Duration: Her initial burst of motivation was fleeting, but the project became a labor of love as she progressed. Fueled by a growing sense of purpose and the tangible progress of her design, she sustained her effort over several weeks. 

Finally, the day of the presentation arrived. Elena stood before the council, her heart pounding but her voice steady. She presented her vision, and her passion was evident in every word. When the council announced her design as the winner, she knew her motivation fueled her.

Hiding in Plain Sight

Ultimately, this exploration of work motivation has been a journey through the fascinating landscape of the human mind and spirit. What began as a mere observation—a sudden surge of "seeing" motivation everywhere—has evolved into a genuine quest for understanding. Motivation is clearly an important subject for workplace success and management savvy.

Perhaps the most crucial takeaway is that the clues to work motivation, like the number 57, can appear in unexpected places, even within the pages of academic journals. It reminds us that the pursuit of understanding is often a process of noticing, reflecting, and connecting seemingly disparate pieces.

I will continue to observe, question, and learn, knowing that the answers, like the elusive "57," might hide in plain sight.