To be effective, managers must understand the motivational drivers of their individual team members.
In a previous blog we looked at three of the nine motivational drivers: the searcher, the spirit and the creative. In this blog we will look at the final 6 motivational drivers.
The fourth type of motivational driver is the expert. Experts want to be the person people go to because they are seen as “the expert” in that particular area. Experts can be good coaches and mentors as they enjoy sharing their expertise with others. Continuous personal improvement is important to the expert, so companies without a learning culture or with inadequate training and development programmes are likely to be demotivational.
Managers can motivate an expert by helping them build their knowledge and experience through regular training and re-training and by encouraging them to share their insights with other people on the team.
The fifth type of motivational driver is the builder. Builders seek an above-average standard of living. They are target-driven individuals and like to feel like they are achieving things. To a builder money and material satisfaction is very important. Since they appreciate the value of money, they dislike organisations that appear to waste it. They like managers who make sound economic decisions.
A builder is the one person in the team for whom it is critical to look at their remuneration and bonuses as performance related pay is a definite motivator. You can also give a builder stretching objectives and targets because this type of individual likes the challenge of exceeding these. You should also keep them informed of how the organisation is doing financially. Where a builder needs to use particular systems and processes then show them how these add to the bottom line.
The sixth type of motivational driver is the director. Directors want to be influential and in control. They will quickly become demotivated in situations where there is no clear career development path mapped out for them or where there is no opportunity to lead or to feel empowered.
To motivate a director give them more responsibility. Ensure they are effectively mentored and allow them to shadow a more senior member of staff for a period of time. Work with them to identify areas where they can be more influential and, where appropriate, for them to take more control.
The seventh type of motivational driver is the star. Stars are motivated by public recognition. They seek the personal admiration of others.
You can motivate a star by giving them opportunities to shine where they will be recognised by others.
The eighth type of motivational driver is the friend. Teamwork and collaborative working are motivational to friends. They want to feel connected with the business and with the team. Friends need to feel supported and involved. You will often find a friend organising the team’s social events and supporting their colleagues. Sincerity is also important to friends.
Make time to build effective working relationships with friends. Manage them using a coaching style of management and you will motivate them.
The ninth, and final type is the defender. Defenders want to feel safe, to maintain the status quo, to minimise risk and so thrive on continuity. They are motivated when they receive regular communication so they know what is going on. They also like situations which are predictable, so dislike change.
The key to motivating a defender is regular and honest communication and being consistent in your own behaviour. If they do not know where they are with you their focus is not on their work! Whilst change can be demotivational, defenders can deal with change provided the rationale for change is explained before it is implemented.
So, there you have it - nine different types, each with different needs and tips on how to motivate them by meeting these needs. Think about the individuals in your team, which motivational driver do they mainly fall into?
