Motivation is a term generally associated with the word with human behavior, meaning, and a state of mind that moves us to action.
Probably the first question to be answered in a discussion of motivation is “What makes us do anything?
e.g.: Why am I writing articles in my blog / website?
Why are you reading it?
Our needs for sustenance, safety, security, belonging, recognition, and a sense of growth and achievement become strong drivers (motivators) of behavior.
The subject of motivation is, at once, simple and complex. Simple, in that it explains much of what we see happening in human behavior, yet complex when it poses contradictions.
For example, the need to nourish ourselves is strong, and hunger will drive us to extreme actions, particularly in the case of extreme hunger. However, how does one explain a hunger strike? How can you explain the actions of someone who has died because they chose not to eat? The psychologists will say that a higher level need took over....perhaps the need to make a point about an issue that, to the person, was larger than life itself.
So as we attempt to understand motivation, we need to appreciate the subtleties that exist in human behavior, and focus our attention on general principles of motivation that have wider application. At least if we can understand some of these principles, we might be better prepared to lead or facilitate a long-term, highly motivating team experience.
Decision making begins as soon as you want to be part of a Team, Isn’t it? You’ve been asked to participate on a team to accomplish some task. Immediately your decision-making process begins.
• What is the purpose of the team?
• Is it a topic that interests me?
• Who will be on the team with me?
• What kind of authority will we have?
• Is it important to management?
• What is the reward for participating?
• What is the risk (perceived as punishment) for not participating?
• How long will it run?
• Will I be better off as a result of my participation?
These are some of the questions we ask ourselves when faced with an invitation to participate in some kind of team. Are they typical questions? Of course. Do they relate to our motivation to participate? Certainly.
Sometimes, however, we are not given the opportunity to refuse participation on a team: for example, a work group or an organization that has restructured itself into self-directed work teams. In these cases, by default, we are part of the group or team.
Nevertheless, in either case, motivation can rise or fall depending on a myriad of factors. Let’s look at some of them.
Factors Influencing Team Motivation are,
I. Purpose
II. Challenge
III. Responsibility
IV. Growth
V. Leadership
Great leaders have a knack for helping others see the best in themselves, providing the stimulus for self-actualizing behaviors, understand the importance of team purpose, challenge, camaraderie, responsibility, and growth, and focus much of their time on creating the conditions for these to exist.
Great leaders also understand that their team members have needs, and that for motivation to grow and continue, the activities of the team must help in some way to meet these needs.
How to sustain MOTIVATION till we achieve our GOALS ?
A team whose members are aligned with its purpose, feel a challenge in their task, have a strong sense of camaraderie, feel responsibility for the outcome, and experience growth as a team and in their personal lives, will tend to sustain motivation over the long haul.
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