Intrinsic motivation

Why do you do what you do? What is your motivation? Is it the prospect of a bonus at the end of the year? The promotion you've been promised? Or do you just love what you do?

Many people work in an environment where the carrot-and-stick motivation prevails. If you do well, you get rewarded; if you do poorly, you will be punished. However, with this approach, the satisfaction of a job well done is often lost in the pursuit of praise and promotion.

Is there an alternative to this approach? Daniel Pink, author of Drive, suggests focusing on an alternative kind of motivation, which he calls Motivation 3.0.

Let's take a look at how it differs.

Like computers, society is governed by basic operating systems - a set of protocols, laws, and perceptions that govern how we view the world and how we behave with each other.

Daniel Pink identifies three types of operating systems:

1. Motivation 1.0. (Biological) Refers to the most primitive type of motivation and the one that keeps us alive: thirst, hunger.
2. Motivation 2.0. (External) Do something because of external factors, usually the presence of punishments and/or rewards.
3. Motivation 3.0. (Internal) Do something for ourselves because we enjoy it.

If we transfer these concepts to the workplace, we find that motivation 2.0 is the most common of all. But is it best to keep employees motivated and utilize their potential 100%?"

Intrinsic motivation is based on three key components:

• Autonomy
• Mastery
• Purpose

Let's look at each of these in more detail.

Autonomy is the need to manage your life and work. To be fully motivated, you must control what you do when you do it and who you do it with.

Autonomy encourages us to think creatively without resorting to strict rules in the workplace. By rethinking traditional notions of control - regular work hours, dress codes, quantifiable metrics, etc. - organizations can increase employee autonomy, build trust, and improve innovation and creativity.

An organization can increase employee autonomy, build trust, and improve innovation and creativity.

Mastery is the desire to improve. If you are motivated in mastery, you will likely see your potential as unlimited, and you will constantly strive to improve your skills through study and practice. Someone who strives for mastery must achieve it for its own sake.

For example, an athlete motivated by mastery may want to run as fast as possible. Any medals they get are less important than the process of continuous improvement.

People can become disengaged and demotivated at work if they don't understand or can't invest in the "big picture." But those who believe they are working on something bigger and more important than themselves are often the hardest-working, most productive, and most engaged.

So, by encouraging people to find purpose in their work by linking their personal goals to organizational goals, you can win their minds and hearts.

For example, offering people opportunities to use their skills to benefit local nonprofits can reinforce purposefulness. So can developing a values- or ethics-based vision for a company that encourages people to "buy in" to its key organizational goals.

In many organizations the development of autonomy, mastery, and purpose is likely to be associated with a cultural shift. So think carefully about how this structure fits with your organization's activities and structure before implementing it.

Organizations that operate under strict deadlines and protocols and therefore may find this motivational structure challenging or even harmful.

Be aware that the reasons for satisfaction and dissatisfaction can be complex. Even if your team members love their work, they may still be demotivated by other factors, such as poor working relationships, for example.

Be aware that the reasons for satisfaction and dissatisfaction can be complex.