"Optimanage.com"

On "Motivation"

By Adel J. Helou

As you may know Motivation comes from the verb “to motivate”. According to an Internet dictionary(1) this verb means “to provide with a motive, or a cause or reason to act; incite; impel”. This implies that “motivate” is to provide people with a motive or a reason for doing a task or taking an action. Motivation also means to inspire and to prompt a person to move from one position to the next position closer to a defined goal or objective. Moreover, to motivate people is to stimulate and encourage their willingness, interest, and enthusiasm to complete a certain task.

There are two types of motivation, internal/self-motivation, and external/acquired motivation. Individuals are also represented by two categories. Those individuals that are self-motivated, and those that need outside assistance to be motivated. It is obvious that the first type of motivation describes the first category of people and the second type describes the second category of people.

In the world of business, employers seek self-motivated employees as they are considered to be low-maintenance individuals:

They are self-starters and go-getters.
They do not need a lot of supervision.
They are punctual in completing tasks and do not waste time.
They need little guidance.
They complete an appreciable amount of work.

On the other hand, employees that need external motivation require extra attention from supervisors and they are considered high-maintenance individuals:

They are not self-starters or go-getters.
They need a lot of supervision.
They lack initiative and are sometimes slow to act.
They need a certain amount of guidance.
They may need more time to complete a task.

What applies in business can also be applied in the personal life of individuals. Self-motivated persons will be more active when in pursuit of their goals in life when compared to less-motivated individuals. Self-motivated people will use their available time readily without delay. They also can identify their goals and are able to develop a preliminary road map that would help them reach these goals. Individuals that are less self-motivated may need coaching, guidance, and encouragement to make the move towards their goals in a consistent and continuous manner.

Motivation in individuals is not a fixed, constant, or unchangeable attitude, behavior, or characteristic. People’s motivation depends on several elements:

How much a person is interested in the task or project or topic at hand.
How much reward would a person receive by working and finishing the activity in question.
The amount of effort needed to accomplish the task..
The time needed to complete the task.
The location where the task is taking place.
The possession of knowledge, or lack thereof, required to start and finish the task.
The availability of tools and equipment needed to embark on the project in question.
The work environment or social setting or rules present to complete the task.

Due to the above-mentioned points, and because people are different with respect to their moods and preferences, we can find a person one day with high motivation in handling a task or find him with low motivation in handling another task.

Nowadays in the field of business, team leaders, supervisors, and managers are encouraged to find ways to motivate their team members and subordinates whenever and wherever needed. This is the current trend in business. It is the role of supervisors to evaluate their subordinates to determine how motivated they are. The self-motivated individuals will make life easy for them. Those subordinates in need of motivation will require guidance and encouragement from their supervisors. Should it become difficult for the supervisors to motivate this group of employees, external help may be needed in the form of business management coaches.

Successful individuals that are living their lives day in and day out, some of which are self-motivated and some others that are less motivated, could sometimes find themselves facing a situation in which they would be in need of encouragement, support, or guidance. In such cases they may choose to use a life management coach – better known as a life coach, to help motivate them and help organize and prioritize their efforts to reach their goals and their highest potential.

To motivate individuals and groups is a useful and beneficial task. It prompts people to believe in themselves and in their capabilities. Motivation helps people act in a positive and deliberate manner. It also instills in people a sense of direction. Coaching and motivating individuals must be a down-to-earth exercise, dealing with reality. Business and life management coaches as well as motivational speakers need to meet their respective clients where they are; which means to recognize their values, styles, needs, and emotions in order to connect with them in an effective manner.

(1) Reference & More Reading:
(1) https://www.dictionary.com/browse/motivate

Adel J Helou: is a Business and Life Management Coach. He has more than 15 years of experience in production and operations management. The Author has international professional experience in the Middle East markets. He holds a B.Sc. degree in Chemistry and Physics and an M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering. Mr. Helou has pages on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram: facebook.com/AdelJosephHelouManagementCoach/
linkedin.com/in/adeljosephheloumanagementcoach/
Instagram.com/adel.helou
twitter.com/helou_adel
Read about his Management Coaching and the articles he writes, by visiting the electronic magazine (E-Zine): optimanage.com.
The E-Zine has a fb page: facebook.com/optimanagedotcom/.
A.J. Helou can be contacted by e-mail: a.j.helou@optimanage.com (e-mail)

HOME		ABOUT US
VIEWPOINT		FOOD FOR THOUGHT
TECHTOOL		MANAGERIA
INFO MIX		ADEL J HELOU COACHING

Viewpoint

On "Motivation"

By Adel J. Helou

Site Map

"optimanage.com" TERMS & CONDITIONS