Why Motivating People Doesn't Work... and What Does?

This may come as a shock to many seasoned managers, but you really should stop trying to motivate your people. It’s frustrating for everyone involved and it just doesn’t work.  So if you have just come up with a plan to motivate your staff, having dutifully read the latest research on employee engagement, and analyzed the results of your internal staff satisfaction survey, then I invite you to think again.

You see your people are already motivated but generally in superficial and short-term ways.

Currently most leaders depend on traditional carrot and stick techniques to motivate their staff because they aren’t aware of the alternatives.  Building on extensive scientific research we have developed a tested model and course of action that will help leaders guide their people towards the kinds of motivation that not only increases productivity and engagement but gives them a profound sense of purpose. We call it Optimal Motivation – a process that shows leaders how to move people from dependence on external rewards and discover how their jobs can meet deeper psychological needs – for autonomy, relatedness, and competence. Science tells us this will result in meaningful and sustainable motivation. So, motivation is a skill that can be learned, developed, and taught – and the role of the leader is to help employees make the shift toward an optimal motivational outlook, choosing a high-quality motivation experience at any time and for any task.

To learn more about Optimal Motivation please join me for a complimentary online Livecast on 25 February.  This interactive session will be hosted by myself and Drea Zigarmi (co-author of the programme and Head of Blanchard Research) and best-selling business author Ken Blanchard. We will share our thoughts on how to take actionable steps toward creating a workplace where people thrive.