As managers, we’re told we must ‘motivate people’. But, how to do it? Many of us use outmoded methods. In my last post, we talked about the myths of motivation–that money or the ‘carrot and stick’ approach really motivates (well, they do a bit, but they have no lasting power–and they motivates the wrong people). Not only that, people today just don’t like to be manipulated with ‘pie in the sky’ promises or threats.
In his book on motivation, Drive, The Surprising Truth about Motivation, Daniel Pink says that we are motivated by either autonomy, mastery, or purpose. Here are questions to ask your agentsA�to uncover what motivates them (and questions to ask yourself).
AboutA�Autonomy
Are you in charge of your own business, or are you waiting for someone else to tell you what to do?
Do you expect your manager to make you go to work, or are you self-directed and self-starting?
Are you disciplined in your business, so you can enjoy that autonomy?
Seth Godin, author of Tribes, says about autonomy: The art of the art {of autonomy} is picking your limits. Thata��s the autonomy I must cherish. The freedom to pick my boundaries.
Are you just playing at being your own boss? Do you expect someone else to hand you success? How much ownership have you really taken about that autonomy?
About your Mastery
Are you working just to get by, or are you consistently working to get better? What do you want to excel at? How does that translate into your business?
Have you ever done something to mastery? How did it feel? Is it important to you to do some things well? What things?
Have you considered mastering selling real estate?
About your Purpose
What excites you so much you cana��t sleep at night?
Is there a way to translate that to your real estate business?
The desire to do something because you find it deeply satisfying and personally challenging inspires the highest levels of creativity, whether ita��s in the arts, sciences, or business. Teresa Amabile, Professor, Harvard University
As you can see, today, people are motivated by inner drives. How strong are these inner drives in your agents?
Question: What insights about your agents’ behavior (and yours)A�did you get from this post?
