Building Self Motivation

Motivation is sometimes tough to maintain, particularly for those who suffer from low self-esteem. However, motivation is integral to our ability to accomplish our goals and even complete tasks throughout our lives. We require daily motivation at work, at home, at the gym and even at play. Sometimes depression can rob us of our motivation and we stagnate. It is a difficult cycle as lack of motivation keeps us from completing tasks, which equates to failure to most people. This failure, in turn, causes people to have even less self-esteem. In order to prevent this, a motivation strategy must be implemented to achieve motivation success. It can be done, but it takes work. It is also important to recognize and overcome some common motivation killers.

Depression is a major motivation killer. People who are depressed will experience a significant decrease in motivation. In order to combat this it may be necessary for the person to use medication therapy to treat the depression. Depression may cause the person to experience a lack of desire to even get out of bed. It may be difficult for the person to leave the house or even to complete daily tasks. A motivation strategy to combat this is for the patient to first get a physical to make sure that the depression is not a symptom of an underlying, serious health condition, and then seek psychological counseling and possible medication therapy. Motivation success is possible if proper steps are taken to seek treatment.

Another condition that will rob a person of their motivation is insomnia and fatigue. Being sleepy all the time can distinctly impact daily motivation. Insomnia can cause excessive daytime sleepiness, or EDS, which can zap a person of their energy, thus destroying their motivation. When lack of motivation turns into failure on projects or daily tasks, a person’s self-esteem can be further robbed. He or she may feel like a complete failure and that frame of mind spills over onto other aspects of their life. Of course, treating the insomnia can have a dramatic affect to the person’s daily performance. In best-case scenario, motivation will return naturally. However, once the habit of procrastination and lack of motivation is set, it is difficult to break. Motivation success can be accomplished by time management and set time schedules to complete projects. It is important that a person be evaluated by a physician to ensure that the insomnia is not caused by a more serious health issue.

Perhaps the greatest robber of a person’s motivation is low self-confidence. Low self-esteem can cause a person to feel that they are unable to effectively complete projects or that if they try they will only fail. This is the most common barrier to a person’s motivation success. This goes far beyond just “sucking it up and moving on,” it becomes a physical inability to complete or sometimes even begin tasks. Sometimes the project may be too large or overwhelming or the person may lack the organizational skills necessary to be effectively self-motivated. This could range from cleaning a closet to working of a multi-million dollar project at work. All the talent in the world is useless if motivation is lacking. Organization is a good motivation strategy because it breaks down the task into parts that can be accomplished. Another motivation strategy it to set small goals over short periods of time. Try setting daily goals, weekly goals and monthly goals as well as long-term goals. Once you see that you can accomplish your daily goal, you will see that you are not a failure. Success feels good and it a great motivation booster.

Psychological counseling can help a person suffering from lack of motivation and low self-esteem. This is not the “head shrinker couch” that you see on TV. Those are exaggerated versions of counseling and you won’t likely have someone peer intently at you are ask repeatedly, “Now, how does that make you feel?” Instead, your therapist is likely to become a major player is increasing your self-esteem and motivation. Counseling can help you achieve motivation success. The counselor will walk you through exercises to increase your self-confidence which, in turn, will help your motivation increase. Additionally, the counselor can give you motivation strategies and if you follow the direction and work with the counselor, you will boost your self-confidence and achieve motivation success.

Kevin Christopher is the creator of http://www.time-success-freedom.com. Your online source for personal development and motivational tips and ideas.

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The Tao of Motivation

If you think you need to ‘get motivated’ … then I am sorry but you are thinking in reverse.

Why?

Because neither motivation nor inspiration are things that you can get ‘out there’, like they are things you can buy at a supermarket.

Does a tree need to ‘get motivated’ to reach its branches towards the sky?

Does a river need to ‘find inspiration’ to flow down to the sea?

They sound like silly questions right?

But they are no more ‘silly’ then the notion that you need to ‘get motivated’ to be the success you are naturally destined to be.

In saying things like, “I need to get motivated” or, “I need to find inspiration” you create a separation within ... a motivator and a motivatee.

Doing this can create an internal scenario where part of your mind becomes the "Task Master", the one with a whip and a drill sergeant's bellow, and another part the "Wretched Slob" who performs up to standard only to keep the whip off his back. Such internal conflict is destructive to one's well-being and is also a major waste of energy.

This type of motivation is external and artificial. 'True' motivation and inspiration are internal and come as naturally as breathing.

You see, there are four types of people. The first is the unconscious incompetent. This is the person that doesn’t even know that they don’t know. This is the lowest rung in the ladder.

The second type of person is the conscious incompetent. This is the person that knows that they don’t know, but they still don’t know what to do. The model above of "The Task Master" and "Wretched Slob" fits this type of person well. They consciously want to be achieving things but their internal incompetencies and personality traits sabotage this desire.

The next type of person is the conscious competent. This is the person that knows what to do, and then if they think about it, they can go ahead and do it. Instead of the "Wretched Slob" this person might internally be a "Super Star" but they still need "The Task Master" with his whip.

The highest level of person, though, is the unconscious competent. This is the person that has it so ingrained in them as to what to do, that they don’t even have to think about it. They just automatically do it.

The unconscious competent does not need any sort of external motivator ... motivation for them is a natural, internal state of being.

Chapter 38 of the Tao Te Ching1 begins by saying:

One of subtle universal virtue

is not conscious of being virtuous,

therefore, he is truly virtuous.

Applied to motivation, it could be modified to say:

One of subtle universal motivation

is not conscious of being motivated,

therefore, he is truly motivated.

Look at young children playing. Do they need conscious motivation to be playfully exuberant? It is only when social conditionings encroach that this natural exuberance diminishes and we have to resort to artificial 'motivational systems' so that we can do the things that used to come to us 'naturally'.

Here’s a personal example, for a long period of time my internal "Task Master" would be always telling me to exercise more because I wasn't as fit and trim as I used to be. I tried all sorts of processes including reward/punishment systems, time management systems, personal trainers, going to the gym and the list goes on.

But then in a moment of clarity my inner youth piped up and said, "Hey! Wouldn't it be much easier if you just did something that you really enjoyed?"

That's when I discovered Hacky Sack. For the uninitiated a Hacky Sack is like a little bean bag that you have to try and keep up in the air with only your feet ... just like the pro soccer plays do with soccer balls.

*** I LOOOVE HACKY SACK! ***

Playing Hacky Sack for me isn't exercise at all ... not in the sense of, "OK now I am exercising." I went from struggling to 'exercise' once per week to having up to 2 or 3 full-on sessions with the Hacky Sack every single day. I grab every chance I can to kick that little sphere of joy up into the air!

You see my motivation to exercise went from an external, artificial affair to an 'unconscious competence' state of being. By digging deep within me and discovering that my true nature is very playful, exuberant, and youthful I was able to discover ‘automatic motivation’ to engage in exercise.

I now don't have to ‘get motivated’ to exercise ... I just get out there and play because I am motivated from within to do something that I really love doing.

And there … right there … is the essence of motivation.

In the I Ching (the Book of Changes)2 you will find that it is the nature of things for life to be ever-changing, ever in motion, ever 'motivating' into new manifestations. So it can be said that 'motivation' is a natural prime mover that keeps life going on its merry course.

When viewed in this light motivation can be seen as a core fundamental principle of your very being. So if you feel you are suffering from a lack of motivation it basically means you have cut yourself off from your core inner reservoirs. It means that you are not in tune with your true nature.

At a basic level this is caused by 2 things:

a) You have an internal ‘blocker’ that is preventing you accessing your inner reservoir of motivation. In essence, your inner ‘river’ of inspiration has been clogged up with a lifetime of debris and conditionings.

b) Also, a lack of motivation can be the result of engaging in something that is not truly your ‘path of heart’ (which is usually caused by having internal blockers).

The solution of course is to remove these internal blockers so that you can once again integrate with your limitless reservoirs of natural energy, enthusiasm, and motivation. Unblock the dam and the river flows again.

Until you can tap into your inner source of motivation your attempts to ‘get motivated’ will only create superficial motivation because as soon as you stop the motivation process you run out of motivation. Like when you are cold you put a jacket on to get warm, but when you take the jacket off you get cold again.

What you need to do is to reach the stage of being unconsciously competent, or unconsciously motivated. Motivation needs to be so much a part of your being that you don’t even realize that you are being motivated.

You see that is the secret to motivation ... it is not about how to 'get motivated' ...

…but how to 'be motivation'.

Because the truth is that you already are motivation. You just need to clear away the ‘debris’ and let your natural motivation and inspiration flow forth.

ends

References:

1 Ni, Hua Ching (2003) The Complete Works of Lao Tzu. LA: SevenStar Communications Group, Inc.

2 Ni, Hua Ching (2002) I Ching, The Book of Changes and The Unchanging Truth. LA: SevenStar Communications Group, Inc

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Stuart Shaw is a recognized motivational speaker and poet. His web site, http://www.inspirationmagic.com, provides a wealth of inspirational articles, poems and resources on everything you'll ever need to know about motivation and personal success.

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Leveraging a Sales Person's Motivation

Sales people who have clear objectives, the required competencies, and a supportive working environment still require a level of desire, willingness and positive thinking to complete tasks or sales activities in order to optimize performance. This state of willingness could be restated as motivation, the mental game or the internal forces that affect the outcomes, intensity and perseverance of a sales person’s voluntary behavior.

Sales Managers need to evaluate each sales person’s motivation, skills and the thinking supporting them due to shifting corporate goals and competitive threats. Given that there is a broad range of individualistic practices within the sales population, it is likely that each sales person is motivated in different ways and a good sales manager or sales leader, according to my experience, has the responsibility to identify those differences and leverage the individual potential from each and every sales person.

In David C. McCelland’s theory of learned needs he suggests that achievement, affiliation and power are the important sources of motivation. As he suggests, however, high achievers are self-motivated to high levels of achievement while low achievers require direction and reinforcement from others. He goes on to say that employees can learn to become more achievement oriented but recognizes that there are different types of employees bringing a balance to our social framework.

This is why it is so key that sales managers understand sales people for the individuals that they really are. Daniel Goleman, who has done extensive work in the area of Emotional Intelligence, suggests that those employees with potential are motivated by a desire to achieve for the sake of achievement and states further that managers with strong emotional intelligence are themselves self-motivated individuals – These principles should then apply to sales people and sales managers.

If motivated sales people are more willing to exert certain effort over a period of time in order to achieve a goal, then what role does the sales manager have in his or her interaction with that sales person?

It is important for sales managers to have a grasp of each sales person level of ability and motivation according to Dr. Paul Hersey. He suggests that the ownership of the task between the sales manager and the sales person be shared in accordance to the various possible levels of both ability and readiness. A training company named Gilmore and Associates devised a model that incorporates these notions and I have worked with them to further its usefulness.

It is important that a sales manager determines what the over all ability of a sales person is prior to attempting to teach, share or transfer the key aspects of the tasks to that employee.

The same holds true for motivation but I would suggest that the aspects of motivation are often overlooked by sales manages as it is the more difficult of the two to identify and manage. Just as with ability an evaluation of motivation should be considered and then skillfully engage, encourage and recognize the mental game and thinking of each individual sales person.

[I believe that ability is mind to hand while motivation is mind to heart. Think of it this way – Sales Performance equals Ability (Mind to Hand) times Motivation (Mind to Heart) or SP=A(MH)XM(MH)]

Sales managers often remedy performance issues with more skills training when from my experience more often than not the underlying performance issue is the thinking and motivation of the sales person. This generally means the wrong solution for the wrong problem incurring more overhead cost, lost opportunity cost and often a further slippage in the motivation of the sale person.

Different levels of the sales person’s ability will mean a different coaching style on behalf of the sales manager in order for the task to be completed at the required level of performance. Lower ability will mean more sales manager involvement and a specific teaching style will be necessary. As ability increases so too does the ownership of the task by the sales person increase, as he or she will begin to determine what is required in order to complete it. A sharing style becomes the most commonly used style by sales managers during this next phase. As the sales person’s ability level optimizes the role of the sales manager shifts more to a transferring style. Involvement of the sales manager is far less and ownership for the task is now primarily that of the sales person.

Typically the same holds true for levels of motivation (M) with respect to the same task although the characteristics and processes for engaging it are more emotional than behavioral. It is here that the passion for sales managing sales people comes to the forefront.

Sales managing a sales person with low motivation will require a nurturing sales manager, one that will engage in the values and principles of the sales person more so than technical abilities for that task. I believe that emotional factors have to engage the sales person’s values in order to stimulate the whole sales person. As the sales person’s motivation improves you follow through with encouragement reinforcing the positive and helping them see that there is light at the end of the tunnel. At the highest level of motivation you simply recognize their capability supporting them to the highest possible level of success.

A sales person with high ability and motivation with respect to a specific task is more apt to have higher levels of success with the role of the sales manager being that of a provider of information or in a position to just delegate and reward with little need for intense interaction.

As a sales manager’s proficiency increases with the use of this model, his or her competency at identifying the issues of ability and motivation will also increase. This will provide the sales manager with an advantage as he or she mentors and coaches his or her sales people for greater results. For the longest time I have used this model intuitively but from time to time I have been known to reference a wallet size cheat sheet that I have carried with me for at least twenty years. A real testimonial to the Gilmore model!

Ron Foss is the Senior Partner of EQ Management Group committed to improving management capability and more information can be discovered at http://www.eqmg.com

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Motivation - What Is It Really?

Motivation has been a hot topic for as long as most folks can remember. Some define motivation as a drive or a desire. Others define motivation as they work they do. For me, motivation is neither. Motivation is, in fact, the energy that is "underneath" the drive, desire and work. It's this "energy" that affects the quality of one's motivation, one's motives, and the quality of the action-result dynamic that results from motivation. More than that, this energy called motivation results from the degree one is living a life "on purpose" and the degree to which one is in alignment with one's true and real self, one's heart.

For me, motivation is an energy...a physical, psychic, emotional and spiritual energy. This energy can be described on one end of a continuum as positive, juicy, strong, energetic, adventurous, exciting, playful, healing, etc., and on the other end as stagnant, blocked, stale, stagnant, depressed, negative, killing, etc.

Motivation is a mind-body dynamic, mostly body-oriented. In my experience, few would say "I think I'm motivated." Rather, I usually hear: "I feel motivated," or the converse, "I don't feel very motivated."

In addition, the expressions "fire in the belly", "His/her heart's not in it.", "gut check", and "the mind is willing but the flesh is weak", as well as many other expressions that center around the belly area (the "energy center" of the body in Eastern traditions), also point to the body as the focal point of motivation (as opposed to the mind), the center of this energy that drives one to actions and supports one to maintain a state of motivation. Motivation, for me, is a "felt sense".

So, for me, everyone is motivated....perhaps just not in the way another would like that one to be, or even in a way we would choose our self to be.

So,

When I choose to surf the net, instead of focusing on the task at hand, I'm motivated.

When I choose to see employees as functions, as opposed to people, I'm motivated.

When I choose to gossip, bully and be sarcastic in my speech as opposed to speaking respectfully, lovingly and compassionately, I'm motivated.

When I choose to cut corners and allow greed to drive my business behaviors and processes, rather than follow an ethical path, I'm motivated.

When I choose to view conflict and negotiation as win-lose as opposed to win-win, I'm motivated.

When I choose to cheat on my taxes and my diet, I'm motivated.

When I choose to take my paycheck and only give 75% of my self to my work, as opposed to showing up 100%, I'm motivated.

When I choose to lie, cheat and steal as opposed to coming from a place of honesty, integrity and trust, I'm motivated.

When I choose to act like an emotional child rather than manifest emotionally intelligence, I'm motivated.

When I allow my ego to get in the way, and engage in self-defeating behavior, instead of coming from my real and authentic self, I'm motivated.

When I choose to numb out in front of the TV, instead of enthusiastically diving into my tasks, I'm motivated.

When I choose to have an affair as opposed to working on my relationship, I'm motivated.

When I choose to hate, as opposed to love, I'm motivated.

So, everyone is motivated.

Again, for me, the deal is the quality of the energy of the motivation and, even more, what's "underneath" the quality of that energy.

For me, what drives the quality of the energy I refer to as motivation is: purpose.

For me, purpose is heart-driven, as opposed to being mental-mind-ego driven. Purpose is what gives meaning to our existence. So, again, for me, motivation is related to purpose, and meaning. The difference in purpose as heart driven, and purpose as ego-driven is what determines where folks live, literally and figuratively, in the space between purpose and purposelessness, and meaning and meaninglessness at work, at home and at play.

In much of life, we move from action to result, action to result, action to result. The question is, "What drives my actions? What drives the motivation (energy) of my actions. The direction of one's life is most often judged on this dynamic and many also judge "success" based on this movement from action to result.

In the larger scheme of things, for me, the energy and quality of the action-result dynamic and the energy and quality with which one relates to "success" is related to whether one is living a life "on purpose" and from where one's purpose emanates (ego or heart).

In my experience, for folks at work, at home and at play, the degree of "pain and suffering" (mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, social, financial, etc.) one experiences is based on the degree to which one is living out one's purpose.

So, then, for me, directly related to purpose is what we value...what it is we deem important and the degree to which we assign worth and "value" to what we value.

The Japanese have a decision-making process they refer to as "The Five Whys". Essentially, when one has to make a decision, one asks "Why", and to that response, again asks "Why?" five times...the idea being that if one can drill down five levels, then one can be fairly certain the decision has merit, i.e., a sound grounding and foundation and is not, for better words, an emotional, knee-jerk or gut decision.

So, with respect to values, when I work with folks on values, motives, etc., we ask "Why?" five times. In other words, "What does (that value, that action, that decision, etc.) "get" you?" Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

At the beginning of the work, the answers are often insightful...and usually bring one to a conscious self-awareness as to what's really, really, really, underneath their thoughts, actions and activities, i.e., their motives.

Most often it's unconscious ego needs, for example, for control, recognition, and security.

It's when we take this first look at values that folks then get to the "heart" of the matter and move into the process of discovering their (heart-felt) purpose and then come to see often vast differences between their heart-felt purpose and what has been, to date, an ego-driven desire they "thought" was their purpose.

The underlying, and root cause, questions that ultimately define our motives, then, is "What do I value?" And, then, even more importantly, "From where do I get my values?" And, finally, "Do my values bring me a greater degree of inner peace, harmony, and sense of well-being, than they do pain and suffering?"

As this process continues, folks begin to view and approach life with a difference lens; and their internal map of reality begins to change. This change manifests in how they begin to view their world of work (home and play), what's really important to their happiness and sense of well-being.

So, as folks take this conscious journey into exploring their motivation, their values, and their purpose, they often discover there's a vast difference between "striving" and "struggling" as they explore their past and current notions of "motivation" and, relatedly, purpose and meaning of work, of life, etc. They often show up with a new-found "energy" that is positive, juicy, willing, engaging, adventurous, curious, etc.

Assuredly, folks who consciously undertake the requisite deeper purpose and values work, can and will experience challenges, bumps in the road, hurdles to overcome, but now they do so with a sense of striving, with a healthy positivity and energy that, yes, may require sweat, blood and tears, but the energy they expend in the pursuit of their values is positive, disciplined, willful, strong and courageous, exciting and adventurous. They are internally and intrinsically "motivated" and sense an inner peace in their efforts. In this place, there is true purpose and true (not ego-driven) meaning to one's life.

On the other hand, those who find themselves "struggling", usually as the result of ego-driven desires and motives, coming from a "faux" purpose, seemingly are always fighting the good fight, often come from a place of resentment, anger, defiance, compliance, guilt, shame, anxiety, and a sense of plodding. They lack a sense of adventure or excitement; often fail at positive self-management, often live with a "low-grade-fever" type of malaise, sadness, depression, hopelessness, frustration, resentment, jealousy, etc. For them, their purpose and the meaning they effort to experience are often mis-guided, most often externally driven (even though they "think" it comes from their own independent thinking...never having taken the time to go deeper inside and think through their so-called purpose). In reality, most often they are actually living someone else's values (parents, friends, neighbors, reality TV characters...), i.e., someone else's purpose and so it's no wonder they seldom experience true happiness in both the short- and long-term..

So, at the end of the day, yes, both groups of people are, in fact, motivated. Both would say they "have values."

So, concerning their being motivated, and relatedly to purpose and meaning of life, the $10 questions I might pose are:

How might each view their "sense of self?" And from where do they derive their sense of self?

If they made a list of their values and then made another list of their daily do-ings, be-ings and thoughts, would the second list directly reflect the first? If not, what's underneath the disconnect?

What role might ego play in the dynamics of their relationships, with their own self and then with others at work, at home and at play?

Is there a difference in how one feels about one's self when they are alone, at four in the morning, in their own company, as opposed to being in their new car, or in their new wardrobe, or in front of their new plasma TV screen, or at work, or being the life of the party, or the standout at the meeting...? And if so, what accounts for the disconnect? What's the "cake" and what's the "icing on the cake" and why?

How might each view their world of work and their role in it?

Does work, life and play have meaning? How so?

In terms of motivation, how is your energy and where are you generally on the continuum I mentioned at the start of this article?

and,

Why are you on the planet?

(c) 2005, Peter G. Vajda, Ph.D. All rights in all media reserved.

---ABOUT THE AUTHOR---

Peter G. Vajda, Ph.D, C.P.C. is a founding partner of SpiritHeart, an Atlanta-based company that supports conscious living through coaching, counseling and facilitating. With a practice based on the dynamic intersection of mind, body, emotion and spirit - that is, Essential Well BE-ing - Peter's approach focuses on personal, business, relational and spiritual coaching. He is a professional speaker and published author. For more information contact http://www.spiritheart.net, pvajda@spiritheart.net or phone 770.804.9125

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Employee Motivation - The 5 Factors That Drive Performance

Employee motivation is a mystery for many managers. But, it doesn't have to be. Instead, understanding how motivation impacts employee performance, and understanding how to use motivation to improve performance can be reduced to five master keys. Organizations desiring to improve employee motivation need a system in place that consistently rewards employee achievements. I'm always surprised how few organizations have such a system.

However, not all employees respond to the same motivations. Each person has his or her own likes and dislikes, passions, interests and desires. The role of the successful manager is to learn how to identify what motivates each employee, and learn how to leverage those motives to simultaneously fulfill the goals of the organization, as well as the goals of each employee.

The five key employee motivation factors include: satisfaction, appreciation, recognition, inspiration and compensation.

1. Employee Motivation By Building Satisfaction

In their book "The Service Profit Chain," James Heskett, W. Earl Sasser, and Leonard Schlesinger make a compelling case that regardless your business, the only way to generate sustained profits is to build a work environment that attracts, focuses, and keeps talented employees. In other words, they have to be motivated to show up, get committed and perform at a level of excellence.

Employee motivation as it relates to employees satisfaction is vitally important. And, it goes way beyond just a "happier workforce." Why?

Because there is an undeniable link between satisfied, motivated employees, and satisfied customers. In other words, focus on creating satisfied employees, focus on employee motivation, and those motivated, satisfied employees will take care of your customers.

2. Employee Motivation Through Genuine Appreciation

At times, managers unknowingly sabotage employee motivation by failing to recognize the positive behaviors and achievements of their employees. As a result, employees don't know whether or not they are doing a good job.

I recently had an employee of an organization tell me, "The only time we ever hear anything from management is when we do something wrong!"

Fortunately, savvy managers can improve employee motivation by rewarding employees with personal attention. This can include a pat on the back, a hand-written note, or a quick comment in the hall.

When showing appreciation, be specific. Instead of just saying, "We really are grateful for the good job you do around here," the approach might be, "I really appreciate how you handled the Franklin Industries account last week when we had to get their rush order out late Friday afternoon. Your effort really made a difference."

By being specific, the employer comes across as much more sincere, and the employee realizes their actions are truly being watched. And, a highly level of employee motivation is the natural result.

3. Employee Motivation Through Recognition

Many people will do for recognition what they will not do for money. And, this is the manager's secret weapon for employee motivation. Some people are motivated by the opportunity to get their name on the wall, receive a trophy at an annual banquet, or see their name in the company newsletter. It gives them an "emotional payoff" for their actions.

Look for ways to increase employee motivation by recognizing excellence in the workplace. Ring a bell every time an individual or team hits the production target. Put up posters with the photographs of team members who have had the most days without accidents. Give out awards for attendance records. Just do something. It is so inexpensive, yet highly effective in your efforts of employee motivation.

4. Employee Motivation Through Inspiration

Inspiration comes from leadership. This form of employee motivation includes the company's mission, purpose and goals. People want to be part of an organization that is going somewhere, that stands for something, and that provides a meaningful service to the marketplace.

If you want to lead an inspired, mission-guided organization, follow these steps and watch employee motivation improve dramatically.

Have a clear mission - in other words, know where you are going.
Be excited and passionate about your mission. After all, if you don't get excited, they won't either.

Be able to communicate the mission, it's value to the marketplace. In other words, why it's worthwhile.

Make sure everyone in the organization understands and can communicate the mission.

Be sure employees understand how they fit into the process of fulfilling the organization's mission.

Make the connection between the mission and the individual values and goals of your employees.

Keep your mission in front of everyone in the organization.

5. Employee Motivation Through Compensation

Some employees are motivated by money. In fact, most are motivated by money; at least for their basic needs. Employee motivation through compensation can come in the form of raises, performance bonuses, commissions, profit sharing, or any number of "extra benefits" like, automobiles, vacations, or other tangible items purchased and used as rewards.

I noticed an interesting program in a hotel where I recently stayed. They have a sophisticated system for rewarding employees based on customer feedback. Throughout the hotel, they have placed customer feedback forms and boxes for depositing the forms. When customers comment on the performance of a hotel employee, the employee accumulates points that can be used to purchase rewards like trips, gifts, and other incentives.

Taking Action On Employee Motivation

Whatever the chosen method, it is important to have a system in place that builds employee motivation. Not every person is motivated by the same factor, or combination of factors. Offering all five - satisfaction, appreciation, recognition, inspiration and compensation insures that the organization has something to contribute to the motivation of each employee.

JP Maroney a.k.a. “The Pitbull of Business Development” is a business growth strategist, best-selling author and award-winning speaker. Receive his FREE “Strategic Briefing” e-newsletter by visiting http://www.JPMaroney.com or calling 1-800-304-5758.

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5 Motivation Killers and How To Avoid Them

Motivation is an oft-discussed subject, particularly with regards to whether or not it is something that can be “taught.” Some people believe that motivation is something that can be “caught” like a virus, whilst others (myself included) believe that motivation is something that has to have start from within, and for personal reasons.

What is seldom discussed with regards to motivation is those obstacles that get in the way of feeling truly passionate and directed in your life pursuits. The following are five motivation “killers”-they truly douse the fire of goal getting in your life-and ways to avoid their consequences.

Motivation Killer #1: Vagueness

Have you ever gotten into a car without knowing where you were going to drive? Course not. The same principle applies to setting goals and living with passion. When you get into your car, you have a destination in mind, an endpoint. If certain roads are closed due to construction, or if an accident has blocked off a particular road, you decide on alternative routes to the same destination. In life, the clearer you make your goals, the better your chance of attaining them. Having a clear destination is crucial not only to your driving exploits but also your life.

Motivation Killer #2: Extrinsic reasoning

People that are extrinsically motivated are those that are motivated by something outside of themselves. Common examples would be those that are motivated by money, possessions, accolades, what the neighbors think, etc. However, extrinsic motivation leads to a tumultuous lifestyle. What are the consequences of not getting the accolades, not obtaining the prestigious position within the company, not being able to afford the hottest new sports car? What happens if somebody disagrees with your opinion? The answer-lack of true, sustained passion for pursuit of your goals, as well as chronic anxiety and unhappiness.

Motivation Killer #3: Fear of failure

Probably the most common motivation killer, fear of failure is rampant in today’s society. For an entire article on the subject, read my other article, “Run Towards Fear”, which outlines a specific plan for conquering your biggest fears. However, when the thought that failure is intolerable or horrible overrides all other rational thoughts, the end result os the failure to take any risks, which are necessary for growth and improvement. How can you expect yourself to gain if you cannot risk? Although it is quite normal (meaning that you are not alone in this issue) to fear that you might not succeed, try not to let that fear rule you. Act in spite of it, and make the conscious decision that other things (gain, self-respect, confidence) are more important than your momentary fear.

Motivation Killer #4: Inactivity

Inactivity is one of the most common methods for reducing enthusiasm and passion in life. However, it is the most easily corrected problem. Take action, any action. The results are dependent upon something getting done. Care more for results than for methods. Though many people have lofty dreams and aspirations, many fail to take action to make them come to fruition. I have known far too many brilliant people who simply never took enough action in their lives, and I have even found myself taking too much time to think through issues fully when I should have been taking action towards attainment of the issue at hand instead.

Motivation Killer #5: Lack of knowledge

Lack of motivation is the final most common motivation destroyer. After all, how can you be passionate about a goal if you have no idea how to attain it? The answer lies with finding someone who has succeeded in whatever endeavor you venture to begin. Find out their methods, and model your actions after theirs. No need to reinvent the wheel here! This person serves as a model for what you want to do, and they could take the form of an acquaintance, a friend, or someone who is a public figure. If they have done that which you are seeking to do, all you have to do is replicate their methods as best possible given your unique circumstances.

Copyright (2004) Leif H. Smith. All Rights Reserved.

Performance expert Leif H. Smith, Psy.D, is the president of Personal Best Consulting, a consulting firm located in Hilliard, Ohio. To learn more tips and techniques to immediately improve performance in your life and to sign up for his FREE monthly advice newsletter, visit http://www.personalbestconsulting.com

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