Which of these three motivators motivates you?
Here is one psychologist’s view on motivation, with tips on how to make it work for you in the workplace. This is great information, whether you’re a ‘lone agent’ or an agent leading a team.
Different strokes for different folks.
MCClelland, a psychologist who wrote lots about motivation (see Achieving Society, Power is the Great Motivator), observed that people were motivated by one of these motivators:a. achievement
b. affiliation
c. power
Identifying Who’s Who
What are some actions that achievers demonstrate?
What are some actions affiliators demonstrate?
What are some actions power people demonstrate?
Which one are you motivated by? How do you know? Think of a time in your life when you were very motivated by something. Was that ‘something’ categorized as achievement, affiliation, or power? You can ask your team members that same question, and find out their dominant motivator (and just observe them in action, too!).
Managing to the Motivators (Think of This as YOU managing YOU)
McClelland said, that, if you’re managing an achiever, you should:
- provide clear-cut goals
- give prompt feedback
Managing an affiliator? You should:
- treat him/her as an individual
- be emphathetic
- provide encouragement
With the power person, you should:
- set clear guidelines
- talk about how to win
- speak in terms of results
Who Challenges You?
To really put this to work, pick a person you work with or manage that you find challenging. Pinpoint their main motivator. Try the actions McClelland suggests. I’ll bet you’ll not only get more cooperation, you’ll start to feel ‘in tune’ with that person–and provide the atmosphere for them where they can be motivated–their way.
If you manage a team– for your next sales meeting: Explain McClleland’s approach to motivators. Ask agents about 3 times in their lives when they were really motivated to achieve something. Then, explain the 3 categories, and ask agents to choose their dominant motivator.
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