One way to get more productivity out of yourself and your team is to understand what motivates them and supply more of it. Seth Godin says many companies are full of two types of people
I now firmly believe that there are two polar opposites at work: Thrill seekers and Fear avoiders
I can see that but I am happier with the types expressed as
- Towards
- Away from
Seths thrill-seeker is a “Towards”; they go-after, want to achieve, acquire, they visualise their goals, the prize in their hands. As he says, these guys make for great salespeople when you set good targets. To keep these people happy you need to provide goals with incentives that match their wants and needs.
I am the other type, the “Away-From” guy. Oh I try to be the first kind, but most of the time I am living in fear of a downside, have nightmares of what-could-be, am running away from the big-generic-monster-in-the-darkness that is chasing me. Rather than having a goal of making money I try to not be broke. It can come in handy, I am usually among the first to spot potholes in a project plan for example 🙂 Fear of the sack kept me working hard in many jobs.
Motivating the first comes naturally for most people, less so for the second group. Of course it comes down to stick and carrot. You can also use these traits to help motivate yourself.
If you are the first kind you have to picture what it will feel like when you have completed the task at hand. Away-from people imagine what dire consequences could arise if you do not complete your task in a timely manner. You can even create consequences or treats for those tasks where the motivation still is not there.
What kind of person are you and how to you keep yourself motivated?
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