Motivating Your Team: It's Not Rocket Science (But It's Close)

What does motivational science say about inspiring your employees? Discover these three insights to boost motivation at work.

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Last week, we wrote about how you suddenly became the manager of a team you have been part of. Now, you must figure out how to motivate them. Your greatest asset as a new manager is that you know them. We also introduced you to three views of work equally distributed across the workforce.

• 1/3 of workers view work as a job

• 1/3 of workers view work as a career

• 1/3 of workers view work as a calling

You know that Mark sees his work as a job, Alejandro sees his work as a career, and Betsy sees her work as a calling. That knowledge gives you a unique insight into what motivates them. Now, you can manage their motivations, manage by relationship, and manage the person.

What If?

But what if you don’t know the team? Let’s say you come in fresh and don’t have any previous context with them. How would you know that Mark’s in it for the rewards, Alejandro for the upward climb, and Betsy for the sense of meaning?

Could you ask them outright? What would you ask them? Will they be able to answer?

Would they admit that:

• Mark works for the paycheck;

• Alejandro hopes he’s not doing the same thing a year from now;

• Betsy doesn’t care what she’s paid?

Plus, narrowing down motivations to just three views seems simplistic. Yes, one of Mark’s key drivers is to support his family, but what if he works for something else? If another workplace offers Mark more money, will he leave? Is Mark simply chasing more giant carrots, or is there more to Mark than meets the eye?

Let’s say you can’t manage solely from the job-career-calling perspective. What other options do you have? Introducing Motivation 3.0.

Motivation 3.0

Motivation 3.0 is a theory for motivating workers, as described by Daniel H. Pink in his book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. In Drive, Pink draws on scientific research to explain three critical drivers for motivating today’s workers. Maybe this could be a key for a new manager.

According to Drive, workers are motivated by:

• “the need to direct their own lives” (autonomy)

• “the need to learn and create new things” (mastery)

• “the need to do better by themselves and their world” (purpose)

Let’s unpack these three motivations and see which team members they relate to.

Autonomy

Autonomy is about having choice and agency in the aspects of your work. It means making choices about when you work, where you work, how you work, and with whom you work. When the aspects of your work are tightly controlled, you have little autonomy. On the other hand, when you are trusted to deliver your outcomes in the ways you choose, you have high autonomy.

A worker with high autonomy thinks, “Okay, I know what I’m supposed to deliver,” and then asks, “Knowing myself, what is the best way to get there?” Rather than his manager designing the way forward, his manager identifies the destination and says, “Now, have at it!” Of course, there may be mid-course corrections; accountability and feedback are essential.

In autonomy:

• The outcome is clear, understood, and measurable.

• The manager trusts the worker’s process.

• The worker designs the aspects of the work.

• The worker is open to adjustment and feedback.

Autonomy is a trust dance between the manager and the worker and is critically essential to internal motivation. But there are other motivational drivers. Let’s look at the second driver, which is mastery.

Mastery

Pink says mastery is “becoming better at something that matters.” Mastery is about growth and progress in a meaningful activity. It will hurt if you intend to grow because growth often comes from challenges. When you’re younger, and your bones are stretching, what are you experiencing? Growing pains. Standing taller doesn’t come easy, but the pain is worth it.

That’s how it is with mastery. Mastery has no finish line but instead is concerned with incremental change. The hope is that, by and by, you’re getting just a little better than you were before. Setting a goal that stretches your capabilities will inspire you, while setting a goal out of reach will frustrate you. You may not be invited to give a TED Talk, but you may get the courage to speak at the company meeting.

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In mastery:

• The activity is meaningful.

• Stretching yourself is part of the fun.

• You’re never completely done growing.

• Fulfillment comes from incremental change.

Mastery is a second driver of motivation, but there’s another one. Let’s look at the third—purpose—and then consider how Mark, Alejandro, and Betsy stack up.

Purpose

The third motivational driver in Motivation 3.0 is purpose. “Purpose” is a cause greater than yourself derived from your values. Historically, purpose at work was considered a comfortable luxury, like packing fluffy slippers if your suitcase has extra room, but if it doesn’t, then it's no big deal. However, today, purpose at work is considered fundamental. The purpose is as essential as profit, writes Pink:

“Purpose maximization is taking its place alongside profit maximization as an aspiration and a guiding principle.”

Doing a work task is one thing, but relating it to a higher purpose is another. The janitor at a children’s hospital can list his mundane tasks—empty the trash, mop the floor, clean the toilets—and not be very motivated. Or he can pinpoint the purpose of these tasks—to keep children healthy—and his motivation soars.

In purpose:

• The cause is more significant than yourself.

• Profit is an enabler, not the ultimate end.

• Mundane tasks become meaningful.

• Values are the foundation.

Thus, according to motivational science, the three drivers of motivation are autonomy, mastery, and purpose. How do these drivers relate to your team members?

Your Team Member’s Motivators

Mark

Remember that Mark has been at the company for 12 years in the same role and is dependable and steady. He doesn’t complain, gossip, or get too involved with others. Mark arrives exactly when his shift starts and leaves exactly when his shift ends. With a kid in college, two kids about to enter college, and a wife at home with medical needs, he is motivated by compensation and benefits.

But that’s not all that motivates Mark. In his 12 years at the company, Mark has gained the trust of his managers. He knows what he’s expected to produce, checks in for feedback, and adjusts when necessary. However, Mark is usually left alone to do his job, which is how he likes it. Help is available if he needs it, but Mark can choose how he will work.

Besides his job providing compensation and benefits, what motivates Mark? Autonomy.

Alejandro

What about Alejandro? As a first-generation college student, Alejandro was hired right out of college and is already in his third role at the company. He is a hard worker and hustles. Unmarried and without a family, he puts in extra time in the evenings and weekends. Alejandro often talks about moving up in the company and has won multiple awards for his performance.

But promotion isn’t all that Alejandro is after. As the first college graduate in his family, Alejandro knows how hard he worked to blaze a new trail. His degree did not come easily, nor did his job promotions. Alejandro loves the thrill of challenging himself. He is an avid learner and doesn’t want to remain stagnant. He gladly works extra because he believes if he’s not growing, he’s shrinking.

Besides advancing in his career, what motivates Alejandro? Mastery.

Betsy

Although Betsy studied accounting in college, she’s had many jobs, from teaching math in an underprivileged area, nannying in a nanny co-op, owning a florist shop, and running operations for a non-profit. Financially, Betsy doesn’t have to work but chooses to work because she loves it. Betsy plans on working as long as possible because she can’t imagine not doing this work, which feels like an extension of her values and identity.

Betsy has done different types of work. Teaching math to underprivileged students is different than owning a florist shop. Being a nanny in a nanny co-op differs from working for a non-profit. Betsy doesn’t see these jobs as random stops on her resume. Instead, she sees them as interconnected chapters in a rich life story. What ties them together is her strong sense of purpose—to enrich the lives of others through beauty and dignity. This, by the way, is also how she views the purpose of her current work.

What motivates Betsy’s sense of calling at work? Purpose.

Managing Through Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose

Let’s say a new manager has no history with her new team. She has to figure out how to motivate them. Let’s say she wants to start with scientific insight. An excellent way to begin is through the three drivers of Motivation 3.0.

• She can offer Mark the autonomy that fulfills him, together agreeing on the outcome and letting him design his way forward.

• She can provide Alejandro with opportunities toward mastery, not being afraid to stretch and challenge him to new levels.

• She can reinforce the purpose Betsy finds in her work, spotting signs of the purpose and reminding Betsy of its importance.

This is how the new manager can motivate her new team.