Description

What Is Motivation?

Motivation is the word derived from the word ’motive’ which means needs, desires, wants, or drives within the individuals. It is the process of stimulating people to action to accomplish the goals. In the work goal context, the psychological factors stimulating the people’s behavior can be -

• The desire for money.
• Success.
• Recognition.
• Job-satisfaction.
• Teamwork, etc.

Intrinsic Motivation 

Overview

Intrinsic motivation involves performing a task because it’s personally rewarding to you.

Intrinsic motivation is the act of doing something without any obvious external rewards. You do it because it’s enjoyable and interesting, rather than because of an outside incentive or pressure to do it, such as a reward or deadline.

An example of intrinsic motivation would be reading a book because you enjoy reading and have an interest in the story or subject, rather than reading because you have to write a report on it to pass a class.

Intrinsic Motivation Examples.

• Take on more responsibility at work because you enjoy being challenged and feeling accomplished, rather than getting a raise or promotion.
• Participating in a sport because it’s fun and you enjoy it rather than doing it to win an award.
• Learning a new language because you like experiencing new things, not because your job requires it.
• Spending time with someone because you enjoy their company and not because they can further your social standing.
• Cleaning because you enjoy a tidy space rather than doing it to avoid making your spouse angry.
• Exercising because you enjoy physically challenging your body instead of doing it to lose weight or fit into an outfit.
• Volunteering because you feel content and fulfilled rather than needing it to meet a school or work requirement.
• Going for a run because you find it relaxing or are trying to beat a personal record, not to win a competition.

Intrinsic Motivation Factors.

1. Curiosity.
2. Challenge.
3. Control.
4. Recognition.
5. Cooperation.
6. Competition.
7. Fantasy.

Using Intrinsic Motivation At Work.

There are many ways you can apply intrinsic motivation at work.

For example, 

• Providing and receiving positive feedback is one of the best ways to increase motivation.
• To support intrinsic motivation among your team, be intentional with your feedback.
• Positive criticism that’s specific and empowering will help people understand your standards and expectations.
• Share consistently with managers or leaders when and how their feedback helps you to be motivated. Also, give them positive feedback when their guidance was beneficial. When you provide positive feedback to your managers about what motivates you, you’re extrinsically motivating them to continue managing you successfully.

Extrinsic Motivation 

Overview

Extrinsic motivation involves completing a task or exhibiting a behavior because of outside causes such as avoiding punishment or receiving a reward.

These rewards can be tangible, such as money or grades, or intangible, such as praise or fame. Unlike intrinsic motivation, which arises from within the individual, extrinsic motivation is focused purely on outside rewards.

People who are extrinsically motivated will continue to act, even though the task might not be in and of itself rewarding—for example, doing something at your job that you might not normally find enjoyable or rewarding to earn a wage.

Extrinsic Motivation Examples.

• Competing for a trophy or prize, such as in a sporting event.
• Doing schoolwork to earn a good grade.
• Working hard at a task or project to receive praise and recognition.
• Shopping with a store loyalty card to gain points, discounts, and prizes.
• Incentivizing children to do their homework with a reward such as a special treat or toy.
• A child who cleans their room receives praise from their parents.
• An actor who performs in a role to gain attention and acclaim from their audience.

Extrinsic Motivation Factors.

1. Rewards.
2. Money.
3. Fear.
4. End Results.
5. Praise.
6. Power.

Using Extrinsic Motivation At Work.

There are many ways you can apply extrinsic motivation at work.

For example,

• In some settings, extrinsic motivation is necessary for day-to-day work.
• When you want to use extrinsic motivation as a manager or leader, it’s important to offer rewards strategically.
• While external rewards can effectively motivate your team to take on a new challenge, learn a new skill, or hit a quarterly goal, you should also make sure you’re giving them the resources necessary to take on projects and skills they’re passionate about.
• Work for the rewards that please you, but be aware of your limits and take breaks when you need them. Make sure you also set aside time to explore new skills and activities you are interested in for the sake of enjoyment or to learn something new.

While both types of motivation are important, they have different effects on how you work.

Extrinsic motivation is beneficial in some cases. For example, working towards gaining a reward of some kind can be helpful when you need to complete a task you might normally find unpleasant.

Intrinsic motivation, however, is typically a more effective long-term method for achieving goals and completing tasks in a way that makes you feel fulfilled. While extrinsic motivation is helpful in certain situations, it may eventually lead to burnout or lose effectiveness over time.

Sometimes intrinsic and extrinsic motivation can work together to help you complete a task. For example, if you have a job and are working on completing a project, you might be extrinsically motivated to finish it to meet a teammate’s timeline. You might be intrinsically motivated to finish it because you enjoy the project want to do a good job.