If it comes to praise, we are all junkies.

Everyone loves to be praised. It feels good to be recognized for our efforts. But to become truly engaged we need more. We need to have the feeling that we are contributing to something worthwhile.

This year I guided several companies in employee engagement. In this and following

blog posts I’ll share you my insights.

If you want to avoid that the results of your engagement surveys end up as useless data, start working on this:

Previous Blog 1: Define engagement in an holistic way

Previous Blog 2: Commit emotionally as a management team

Previous Blog 3: A good management team = TRUST

This blog: Promote intrinsic motivation

There is one outcome all the engagement surveys I took have in common: we all want to receive more appreciation.

Does this mean that we all have to praise our reports more or give them bigger cars?

Perhaps not. If you want people that create create value beyond what they were hired to do, then you’d better not only give praise. What you should do is also promote people’s intrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic motivation refers to motivation that comes from inside an individual rather than from any external or outside reward, such as money or grades.

If you do something that you find meaningful, rewarding, interesting and challenging, you are more likely to come up with novel ideas and creative solutions.

As a company you can promote extrinsic motivation or intrinsic motivation.

If you’re into extrinsic motivation you should only worry about creating workplaces that are fun and offer an abundance of praise and recognition. But remember people who depend on extrinsic motivation need constant praise and incentives just to do their job.

Smart employers though want people who go the extra mile. They know that employee engagement increases when staff is not only kept happy, but more important, has a mission.

Why? Because when you have a mission you are pursuing goals that have personal meaning. You are working for something bigger, something that is meaningful. There is no stronger motivator than a cause you really believe in. That is what we call intrinsic motivation: the drive to do things because they matter.

Ask your employees:

• – What are you contributing to?
• – What goals are you pursuing?
• – What is the personal meaning that you find in your work?
• – How does what you do help realizing the purpose of our
•   company?

If you want employees who are able to exceed expectations, you’ll have to look for people that are self motivating. The ones that rely on their own intrinsic motivation and are as a consequence not addicted to constant extrinsic motivation.

In my next blog I’ll explain how to create a culture that promotes intrinsic motivation. What does it take to attract self motivating people?

Can’t wait to find out? Take a look at this:

I developed “The Road to TRANSFORMATION” to help you increase employee engagement. A clear action plan towards a sustainable engagement culture.

So grateful to have shared this with you!

Live on purpose,

Ann.

www.naturalleadership.be

P.S.: On the 17th of February I’m giving a workshop on employee engagement with Martine Tempels, Senior VP Telenet for Business. For more info and registration click here.

P.S.: Leadership Road to Freedom open training on the 30th of March. For more info and registration click here.