99U Insights on making ideas happen
by Bēhance
Leadership
What Motivates Us To Do Great Work?
by Jocelyn K. Glei
608629
What motivates us to do great work? It’s an age-old question. But the age-
old answers – rewards, recognition, money, stability – no longer seem to
suffice. As we’ve shifted to a knowledge-based economy, it turns out that
what drives us has shifted, too.
Recent research reveals that when creative thinking is part and parcel of
your job description, external motivation just doesn’t work. The year-end
bonus, the promotion, the basic dangled carrot approach – these things don
’t inspire better performance.
What really gets creatives fired up is, well, ourselves. That is, intrinsic
motivation. If we can imagine an achievement, see ourselves progressing
toward that goal, and understand that we are gaining new skills and
knowledge, we will be driven to do great work.
In a recent post, science writer Jonah Lehrer cites an interesting study
about “self-talk” – the running commentary we always have going on in our
heads. Fifty-three undergraduate students were divided into two groups and
then challenged to solve anagrams:
“The first group was told to prepare for an anagram-solving task by
thinking, for one minute, about whether they would work on anagrams. This is
the ‘Will I?’ condition, which the scientists refer to as the ‘
interrogative form of self-talk’. The second group, in contrast, was told
to spend one minute thinking that they would work on anagrams. This is the
‘I Will’ condition, or the ‘declarative form of self-talk’. Both groups
were then given ten minutes to solve as many anagrams as possible.”
Contrary to what you might expect, the “Will I?” group solved
significantly more puzzles. The uncertainty created by the question, allowed
the students to decide to challenge themselves, and then excel. Lehrer sums
it up:
“Subsequent experiments by the scientists suggested that the power of the
‘Will I?’ condition resides in its ability to elicit intrinsic motivation.
(We are intrinsically motivated when we are doing an activity for ourselves
, because we enjoy it. In contrast, extrinsic motivation occurs when we’re
doing something for a paycheck or any ‘extrinsic’ reward.) By
interrogating ourselves, we set up a well-defined challenge that we can
master. And it is this desire for personal fulfillment – being able to tell
ourselves that we solved the anagrams – that actually motivates us to keep
on trying.”
In his latest book, Drive, author Daniel Pink debunks the power of external
motivators, and expands on the intrinsic motivators that inspire us to do
great work. Using research from a study out of MIT, Pink argues that
traditional rewards – external motivators like a year-end bonus – only
elicit better performance from people doing rote tasks. But once the barest
amount of brainpower is required, higher financial rewards fail to produce
better work. In fact, they actually inspire worse performance.
For creative thinkers, Pink identifies three key motivators: autonomy (self-
directed work), mastery (getting better at stuff), and purpose (serving a
greater vision). All three are intrinsic motivators. Even a purpose, which
can seem like an external motivator, will be internalized if you truly
believe in it.
A recent Harvard study further reinforces the power of intrinsic motivation.
After tracking 1200 knowledge workers, Teresa M. Amabile and Steven J.
Kramer found that the # 1 motivator for the employees was progress – the
feeling that they were moving forward and achieving a greater goal. They
write:
“On days when workers have the sense they’re making headway in their jobs,
or when they receive support that helps them overcome obstacles, their
emotions are most positive and their drive to succeed is at its peak. On
days when they feel they are spinning their wheels or encountering
roadblocks to meaningful accomplishment, their moods and motivation are
lowest.”
As creative thinkers, we want to make progress, and we want to move big
ideas forward. So, it’s no surprise that the best motivator is being
empowered to take action.
When it comes to recommendations for creative leaders, Amabile and Kramer
don’t mince words: “Scrupulously avoid impeding progress by changing goals
autocratically, being indecisive, or holding up resources.” In short, give
your team members what they need to thrive, and then get out of the way.
More insights on: Leadership, Motivation
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JOCELYN K. GLEI
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As Editor-in-Chief and Director of 99U, Jocelyn K. Glei leads the 99U in its
mission to provide the “missing curriculum” on making ideas happen. She
oversees the Webby Award-winning 99u.com website, curates the popular 99U
Conference, and is the editor of the 99U books, Manage Your Day-to-Day and
Maximize Your Potential.
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