Motivation
Featured in the The Team Leader's Development Manual training manual
By Mike Fenwick
Category: People Management and Motivation
Credit price: 3 download credits (Single user)
Once upon a time there were two men who both wanted to get their dogs to jump through a hoop. The first man decided that the best way to get the dog to do this was by kicking it until it jumped through. This was on the basis that the dog would soon learn that if it didn’t want a kick it would have to jump through the hoop. The second man decided that he would give his dog a biscuit when it jumped through the hoop or, alternatively, tell it that he was very pleased with it. Both men set about their task and by lunch time both had been successful, with both dogs jumping through hoops. They decided that both methods had worked, and they went for their lunch. When they came back, the man who had been giving his dog the biscuits saw that the dog was still happy to jump through the hoop. The other man couldn’t find his dog … Motivation is about encouraging people to willingly do the job that needs to be done. Motivation by fear will only work while the fear is present – if the fear is removed, the motivation evaporates. This training activity considers how to create positive motivation. Three men were working with stone. They were all asked ‘What are you doing?’ The first said he was breaking rocks. The second said he was building a wall. The third said he was creating a cathedral. They were all doing exactly the same job; the only difference was their motivation. This anecdote shows that it was the perception of their work and their contribution to the overall team effort that determined their level of motivation. Both are essential elements in the motivation of teams.
You start the training activity by asking participants to brainstorm their ideas on what motivates people. This is followed by a 10-minute case study where you ask teams why they think someone would undertake a demanding role for no pay. Next, you introduce the idea of motivating factors as belonging to three sets – positive, neutral and negative. Neutral and negative factors are shown to be poor motivators, whereas positive factors are shown to be what really motivate people. You go on to explain that positive motivators can be divided in to three groups: task, team and individual. Finally, the participants work in groups to identify what would motivate people in each of the three groups and how they would put this into practice at work.
Who is it for: This training resource is intended for use by trainers to encourage the participants to concentrate on the three areas of positive motivation that are most effective at getting people to want to do something rather than having to.
| Resource Type: | Activity |
| Min Group Size: | 4 |
| Max Group Size: | 20 |
| Typical Duration: | 02:00:00 |
| No of Pages: | 11 |
Resources: View standard resources for Fenman training activities
Purpose: This training resource is intended for use by trainers as either part of a management development programme or as a stand-alone training activity in motivation. It can also be used on programmes on assertiveness, communication, decision making, developing others, influencing others, leadership, and teamwork.
Download the training activity, Motivation as featured in the Fenman training manual; The Team Leader's Development Manual