In our last blog, we discussed 7 strategies to unlock your motivation, and ended with your energy check.
Now, do you know what kind of motivation style actually improves your motivation?
Think about it. You and your coworker could be looking at the exact same project. You might see an exciting challenge to conquer, while they see a great opportunity to collaborate and build team spirit. Neither of you is wrong! You just have different “motivational styles.” OR maybe you come into the project with conflict because neither one of your are familiar with the other’s motivational styles, and it becomes heated.
Self-awareness is your superpower, once you know what makes you great and challenges are your kryptonite you can leverage your strength and strengths of others to enhance everyone’s motivation and create a welcoming and psychologically safe work environment.
Based on research by psychologist David McClelland, most of us are primarily driven by one of three core needs: Achievement, Affiliation (or connection), or Power. Again, you can have all three of these motivation styles, and most do, but when things get tough it’s likely because your core motivation type is being triggered.
When you know what naturally gets you excited and what drains your battery, you can start designing your workday to have more of the good stuff. You’ll work smarter, feel less resistance, and find that “flow” state more often.
Achiever Motivation Style
This is what we find most common, or how most us sees the end output of motivation. When you’re motivated you get things done. But, it’s more nuanced than that.
Are you an Achiever?
You love a good to-do list, especially the feeling of crossing things off. You get a buzz from tackling a tough challenge and seeing concrete results. You’re not afraid of hard work, and you take a lot of pride in doing a great job. If so, you might be an Achiever.
Your Superpowers:
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You’re a Goal-Crusher: You have an amazing ability to set goals and see them through to the end.
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You Love a Good Challenge: While others might shy away, you lean into tasks that stretch your skills.
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You’re Self-Motivated: You don’t need a lot of external cheerleading to get started; your drive comes from within.
Your Kryptonite:
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Burnout Risk: Your drive is so strong that you can forget to take breaks, leading to exhaustion.
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Impatience with Process: You’re so focused on the finish line that you can get frustrated with slow-moving projects or teams.
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Feedback Hungry: You thrive on knowing how you’re doing, and can feel lost or anxious without regular feedback.
Pro-Tips for Achievers:
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Schedule Your Downtime: Seriously, put it in your calendar like a meeting. Your brain needs to recharge to stay effective.
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Celebrate the Progress, Not Just the Win: Don’t wait until the project is 100% done. Acknowledge and enjoy the small milestones along the way.
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Learn to Delegate: Your way isn’t the only way. Trusting others to handle tasks frees you up to focus on the challenges you love most.
Tips for Leaders:
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Be Specific with Goals and Feedback: Vague instructions are an Achiever’s nightmare. Give them clear, measurable goals and provide regular, specific feedback on their progress.
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Give Them a Challenge, Then Get Out of the Way: Trust them with a challenging project and give them the autonomy to see it through. They’ll appreciate the responsibility.
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Protect Them from Burnout: Encourage them to take vacation time and disconnect. Recognize that their internal drive might prevent them from setting their own limits.
Connector Motivation Style
You feel most energized when you’re collaborating with a team. You genuinely care about your colleagues and go out of your way to make sure everyone feels included and heard. You believe the best ideas come from group brainstorming, and you’re the person everyone turns to when they need support. If this resonates, you’re likely a Connector.
Your Superpowers:
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You’re a Team-Builder: You have a natural talent for creating a positive, supportive, and collaborative atmosphere.
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You’re an Amazing Listener: People trust you and feel comfortable opening up to you, making you a fantastic colleague and friend.
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You Foster Harmony: You’re skilled at smoothing over disagreements and finding common ground.
Your Kryptonite:
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Conflict Avoidance: Your desire for harmony can make you shy away from necessary but difficult conversations or giving tough feedback.
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Can Take Things Personally: Because you value relationships so much, you might be extra sensitive to criticism or feeling left out.
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Prioritizing People Over a Deadline: You might sometimes struggle to push a project forward if it means potentially upsetting a team member.
Pro-Tips for Connectors:
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Practice “Caring Candor”: Learn how to give constructive feedback in a way that is both direct and kind.
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Set Healthy Boundaries: It’s okay to say “no”. You can be a supportive colleague without having to solve everyone’s problems.
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Find Your Voice: Your opinion matters! Make a point to speak up first in a meeting sometimes, so your ideas aren’t swayed by the group’s consensus.
Tips for Leaders:
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Leverage Their Social Skills: Put them in roles where they can build team culture, onboard new hires, or facilitate collaborative projects. They are your natural glue.
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Give Feedback Privately and with Care: When giving constructive criticism, do it one-on-one and emphasize that your feedback is about their work, not their value as a person.
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Help Them with Tough Conversations: Coach them on how to handle necessary conflict. Reassure them that addressing an issue directly is often kinder than letting it fester.
Influencer Motivation Style
You’re not afraid to take charge. You get excited about leading a project, shaping a strategy, and inspiring others to take action. You enjoy a healthy debate and aren’t shy about sharing your point of view. You want to make an impact and leave your mark. If you’re nodding along, you might be an Influencer.
Your Superpowers:
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You’re a Natural Leader: You can rally people around an idea and motivate them to do their best work.
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You’re Decisive and Action-Oriented: You’re not afraid to make a call and get the ball rolling.
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You See the Big Picture: You enjoy thinking about strategy and the long-term vision, not just the immediate tasks.
Your Kryptonite:
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Can Be Too Controlling: Your passion for the vision can sometimes lead to micromanaging if you’re not careful.
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Frustration in the Passenger Seat: You can get antsy and disengaged if you’re in a role with little to no autonomy or influence.
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Loves to Talk, Might Forget to Listen: Your enthusiasm can sometimes mean you dominate the conversation.
Pro-Tips for Influencers:
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Lead with Questions, Not Answers: Instead of telling your team what to do, ask them: “What do you think is the best way to handle this?” This empowers them and leads to better ideas.
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Share the Spotlight: When things go well, make a point to give the credit to your team. A true leader’s success is reflected in the success of their people.
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Find Healthy Outlets for Your Drive: If you’re not in a formal leadership role, volunteer to lead a small project, mentor a new hire, or organize a team event.
Tips for Leaders:
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Give Them a Seat at the Table: Involve them in strategic planning and decision-making when possible. They thrive when they feel their voice can shape the future.
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Channel Their Drive: Give them opportunities to lead projects or initiatives, but with clear accountability. Coach them on the difference between directing and empowering.
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Teach Them to Listen: Encourage them to actively solicit and listen to other points of view. Pair them with a Connector to help them see the value in different perspectives.
What's your style?
There’s no right or wrong, there is who you are and how you carry yourself.
Leaning into your natural talent will make the journey easier and help you become a master at leveraging your motivational typology. As a reminder, you can be all three, but focus on the one primary – when you’re having a bad day what was missing? When you’re having a great day what was present? These polarizing views can help your narrow your primary.
The goal isn’t to box yourself in. It’s to gain self-awareness. By understanding your primary driver, you can start to answer important questions:
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Why did I feel so drained after that meeting? (Maybe your Connector side was exhausted by conflict).
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Why was I so excited about that project? (Maybe your Achiever side loved the clear, challenging goal).
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What kind of role should I look for next? (Maybe your Influencer side needs more leadership opportunities).
Seeking support
Unlock your superpower and focus on how you can use this information. Apply this knowledge can help you navigate through office politics, help you lead your team and yourself more effectively. But, at times it can be tough to see your own patterns or figure out how to make changes.
That’s where having a coach in your corner can be a game-changer. Together, we can:
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Pinpoint your unique motivational blend and what it means for your career.
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Figure out how to get more of what energizes you (and less of what drains you) in your current job.
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Build a personalized roadmap for your next career move that aligns perfectly with your style.
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Make sure you stick with the new habits that build real, lasting motivation.
If you’re ready to trade that feeling of dread for genuine excitement about your work, let’s chat. Book a free, no-strings-attached call today. We can explore how to get your spark back and build a career you actually love.
