Understanding Motivation and Its Importance

Motivation, like every word in our language, is an abstract concept. Motivation is the cause for intentions, desire, and actions. Motivation is derived, in part, from the root word motivation, which means "a rule which requires satisfaction." These drives, needs or desires can be normally innate, obtained through cultural inheritance or acquired through the influence of society, culture or the individual himself.


Individuals differ in their level of motivation. Some are easily motivated, others are not. A successful business man who desires a large business for his own enrichment may become highly motivated, but it takes him many years to develop the organizational skills required to achieve this. The key to becoming motivated and then to being highly effective at achieving those objectives lies with identifying what motivates you, your capabilities, your personal characteristics, your interests, your goals, etc., and using them as the channel for your own motivation.

A successful manager, whose job it is to motivate others, does so by creating an environment in which others are motivated. He makes others feel positive about themselves and their work, thereby encouraging them to excel. In addition, he inspires them with a sense of purpose and achievement. He creates a positive image of himself and his company. These qualities and attributes become part of your identity and become part of your mindset, which in turn can motivate you. A manager has to be extremely skillful to do this, but there are many ways in which he can develop these skills.

When dealing with weak and distracted team members, a manager has to use a different approach than when dealing with strong and motivated team members. The first thing a manager can do to motivate others is to ensure that their work is done in a quality manner. This means meeting the deadlines without any deviation and completing the project without compromising the quality. The challenge is to find a way of motivating team members while maintaining quality control.

Another area in which motivation differs from conventional management thinking is the attitude of a manager to the various motivational issues faced by him. While many people have a sense of control over situations, they do not like uncertainty and change. They therefore tend to dislike change of any kind, whether it is organizational product or service. By contrast, those who understand motivation appreciate change, but do not like uncertainty at the same time. If faced with multiple challenges, they will find a way of aligning their motivation and creativity to achieve the desired goals.

Understanding motivation also requires the recognition of the fact that different people have different needs. In addition, some team members may react in different ways to the same set of events. This could include the desire for recognition, the need for approval and the need for deference. There are many different things that motivate team members. Some examples include the need for recognition for a job well done, the need to be respected and the need for deference to senior management.

Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation are closely related. Intrinsic motivation occurs from within rather than being extrinsically induced. External motivation can be induced through a change in environment, a reward system, a threat of punishment or any other number of incentives. Intrinsic motivation is therefore very important and has many different components.

When managers understand motivation, they can increase productivity and improve employee relations. Teamwork is important and effective leadership styles can help people take action to achieve their goals. For managers, understanding motivation is necessary because it is important for them to help people achieve their goals. By helping people take advantage of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational elements, they can help people thrive and achieve their goals.