Martha recently posted the following on LinkedIn for discussion and got some passionate responses.  Here are some excerpts:

Motivation management = creating the conditions required for motivation . . . for yourself or for those you lead. What are they for you? As you’d expect, this can get tricky. Why? Because we all are different (and thank goodness for that). We believe there are 3 primary conditions for motivation:

(1) confidence – “I can do it”

(2) trust – “I get what my performance deserves,” and

(3) satisfaction – “What I get is satisfying to me.”

Discussion respondent • Martha, I like the simple way you have positioned this, but those three conditions take in quite a range of knowledge and skill sets. Also, I am curious to learn more about #2, “I get what my performance deserves.” Could you explain more about what you mean? Does this include compensation, recognition, bonuses, and a simple thank you? What do you see as the driving force behind establishing that trust? I see trust as starting at the top and filtering down so everyone believes the mission and is involved in seeing it come to fruition. But when you use “get what my performance deserves,” I think it is more about the individual seeing what is in it for them. I don’t necessarily see the trust connection as a function of that.

Martha Forlines • Great points. Trust here means “Do I trust my manager to give me what my performance deserves?” This trust breaks down most clearly when the manager makes “promises” of things the employee wants, (like the items you listed) but does not deliver. Often a bigger issue for the high performer is when the manager does not have the courage to truly use discretion and give each employee what their performance truly deserves. However, there are other outcomes that the manager has control over that may not be part of that “promise,” but affects employee motivation.

Examples of these outcomes that may be viewed as negative are excessive overtime, work stress, insensitivity to work life balance, etc. We have a list of 49 workplace experience outcomes developed over the years that can be either motivators or de-motivators. So at the end of the day, the “what’s in it for me” is still a driver . . . people pursue personal payoffs!

Discussion respondent • Thanks for clarifying your comments, Martha. I see this all the time, that a manager is not handling each employee as an individual and therefore negating any attempt to build trust. I believe you are right that “people pursue personal payoffs!” And I love the alliteration.

Discussion respondent • ”I get what my performance deserves” could not be stated better! This is the best motivational tool.

Martha Forlines • Unfortunately, many times managers don’t have the courage to follow through on this consistently.

Discussion respondent – Motivation is a balance between risk and reward… If you want to “take a chance”, you’re likely to be singled out as not conforming. That’s the risk of giving people what their performance deserves.

The better question is how do you motivate others that are not likely to take any risk? Management has to demonstrate! Unfortunately, you’re right. There are few self motivated managers willing to take “all out risk” and demonstrate. Most managers like their jobs and will not risk anything. Without good demonstration of “courage”, many are not willing to do more than management demonstrates.

Discussion respondent – I live in that realm and could write a book on the good/bad/and ugly associated with risk verses reward management.

Discussion respondent- You are aware that this is a real hot button topic for the safe management style individuals?

Martha Forlines – Yes, sad but true, too hot to handle for too many managers. The strong and courageous just have to lead the way.

Martha Forlines and Thad Green