Motivating People

A top leadership consultant says: Stop trying to motivate people! Find a powerful alternative to the carrot and stick in this science-driven guide. It's frustrating for everyone involved and it just doesn’t work. You can’t motivate people—they are already motivated, but generally in superficial and short-term ways. In this book, Susan Fowler builds upon the latest scientific research on the nature of human motivation to lay out a tested model and course of action that will help leaders guide their people toward the kind of motivation that not only increases productivity and engagement but that gives them a profound sense of purpose and fulfillment. Fowler argues that leaders still depend on traditional carrot-and-stick techniques because they haven’t understood their alternatives and don’t know what skills are necessary to apply the new science of motivation. Her Optimal Motivation process shows leaders how to move people away from dependence on external rewards and help them discover how their jobs can meet the deeper psychological needs—for autonomy, relatedness, and competence—that science tells us result in meaningful and sustainable motivation. Optimal Motivation has been proven in organizations all over the world—Fowler’s clients include Microsoft, CVS, NASA, the Catholic Leadership Institute, H&R Block, Mattel, and dozens more. Throughout this book, she illustrates how each step of the process works using real-life examples—and offers a groundbreaking answer for leaders who want to get motivation right!

"Based on the latest research and extensive work with hundreds of companies, Susan Fowler has a shocking message to leaders about motivating their people: STOP! In this groundbreaking book, Susan shows leaders how they can get out of the way and encourage their people to learn the skills of self-motivation"--

The New York Times bestseller that gives readers a paradigm-shattering new way to think about motivation from the author of When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing Most people believe that the best way to motivate is with rewards like money—the carrot-and-stick approach. That's a mistake, says Daniel H. Pink (author of To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Motivating Others). In this provocative and persuasive new book, he asserts that the secret to high performance and satisfaction-at work, at school, and at home—is the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world. Drawing on four decades of scientific research on human motivation, Pink exposes the mismatch between what science knows and what business does—and how that affects every aspect of life. He examines the three elements of true motivation—autonomy, mastery, and purpose-and offers smart and surprising techniques for putting these into action in a unique book that will change how we think and transform how we live.

Help your people reach their potential. As a manager, it's your responsibility to ensure your team is motivated and performing at a high level. But recent data reveals abysmal engagement levels among workers around the globe. How do you fix the problem--before your most talented people walk out the door? By understanding what drains your employees, you can increase their job satisfaction and push them toward achieving their goals. The HBR Guide to Motivating People provides practical tips and advice to help your team find meaning in their work, build on their strengths, and produce the best results for the organization. You'll learn how to: Pinpoint the root causes of lackluster performance Tailor rewards and recognition to individuals Connect routine work activities to a higher purpose Support your employees' growth and development Prevent burnout--especially in your top performers Create a culture of engagement Arm yourself with the advice you need to succeed on the job, with the most trusted brand in business. Packed with how-to essentials from leading experts, the HBR Guides provide smart answers to your most pressing work challenges.

Imagine overseeing a workforce so motivated that employees relish more hours of work, shoulder more responsibility themselves; and favor challenging jobs over paychecks or bonuses. In One More Time: How Do You Motivate Employees? Frederick Herzberg shows managers how to shift from relying on extrinsic incentives to activating the real drivers of high performance: interesting, challenging work and the opportunity to continually achieve and grow into greater responsibility. The results? An ultramotivated workforce. Since 1922, Harvard Business Review has been a leading source of breakthrough management ideas-many of which still speak to and influence us today. The Harvard Business Review Classics series now offers readers the opportunity to make these seminal pieces a part of your permanent management library. Each highly readable volume contains a groundbreaking idea that continues to shape best practices and inspire countless managers around the world-and will have a direct impact on you today and for years to come.

Harvard Business Review on Motivating People Lack of motivation can lead to employee inefficiency and low productivity-not to mention higher turnover rate. This evergreen collection ofHarvard Business Reviewarticles will help managers in struggling companies retain their key workers and create happy working environments. This timeless volume features new and classic articles on leadership, inspiration, compensation, performance measurement, and more. The Harvard Business Review Paperback Series The series is designed to bring today's managers and professionals the fundamental information they need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world. From the preeminent thinkers whose work has defined an entire field to the rising stars who will redefine the way we think about business, here are the leading minds and landmark ideas that have established theHarvard Business Reviewas required reading for ambitious businesspeople in organizations around the globe.

A guide to motivating people, including advice on: becoming a better leader and co-ordinating winning teams; identifying, setting and communicating achievable targets; empowering others through simple job improvement techniques; encouraging self-development, defining training needs and providing helpful assessment; and ensuring pay and workplace conditions make a positive contribution to satisfaction and commitment.

In all types of support services and care situations one of the biggest challenges is motivating people to change their behaviour. It particularly applies to individuals who are difficult to motivate because they might lack insight, wilfully ignore or refuse to face their situation, are affected by depression or health problems or are victims of unfortunate circumstances or fear of failure. The task may be to motivate someone to improve their quality of life by participating in a group in a residential home, change a lifestyle because of health reasons, address offending behaviour, learn a new skill to obtain a job or complete an anxiety management programme. The strategies and techniques will help: arouse their interest in making changes; encourage the consideration of change; support their planning for change; mentor the person through planned actions; ensure momentum is maintained; guide the person in making positive use of any relapses; and make sure the change is successfully achieved. This is an invaluable resource for support workers, social workers, health workers, youth workers, probation officers, employment services, tutors and carers. The techniques can be applied when working with individuals or groups in all types of settings including residential homes, day centres, probation, education or youth work.