The Measure: Post #3--Motivation

About Motivation: Renowned motivational psychologist, Frederick Herzberg’s two-factor theory debunks incentive theory. Satisfaction (hygiene factors) is all about basic requirements for job satisfaction (status, compensation, security, etc.). However, to be motivated requires satisfaction first and then more. So salary may satisfy us, but it will never motivate us. You have to pay people a fair wage, but after that you need motivators like challenging work, recognition, and personal growth. We all crave meaning and purpose—that’s the “internal” real stuff of motivation, not some “external” factor like a bonus check. Unfortunately, many of us choose jobs based on great hygiene factors (high pay, fancy office), but then we often get demotivated with a lack of internal motivators like a job with real purpose. This explains very unhappy wealthy business people and very modestly paid but extremely motivated and happy non-profit workers. We need to ask ourselves new questions to be motivated in a new job: Is this work meaningful to me? Will it give me a chance to develop? Will I get more responsibility?