September 12, 2011
Meaning: When organizations choose MDA to assess job candidates, one of the most common questions we hear is: “What makes him tick?” or “Why does she really want this job?” The question is perfect; you want to find the motivator. We can do that. Yet more often than not, the way to find out what jazzes someone or what they want to do long-term is just to ask! It is so easy to neglect this simple tool. How often do you hear people “playing psychologist” by trying to assign a motive to a specific behavior? “He was quiet in this morning’s meeting because he is bored” or “She hasn’t raised her hand about advancement, so she is not ambitious.” That may or may not be right. The point is, engage your team members in real conversations about their behavior and their goals; you will learn firsthand what is really important!
Ideas for Action: It is crucial for leaders to understand the motivators for their team members. The more care you take in aligning job roles and work environments to what motivates people, the more engaged they will be. And the more you find out what kind of work individuals find meaningful, the more you can deploy them in a way that brings satisfaction.
Rather than making assumptions about the type of work that people really enjoy, have one-on-one conversations with them on this topic. Find out what they are interested in doing...what jazzes them…what brings meaning to their work. It may take more than one conversation, but eventually you will create stronger connections with and for them.
Motivation is such a strong indicator of compatibility to specific jobs and environments that during our assessment process we use the MVPI (Motives, Values and Preferences Inventory) developed by Hogan Assessments. It’s a 200-question assessment that identifies an individual’s core values – that is, what this person wants, as opposed to what they might do in certain situations. As Sharon Sackett, my colleague who runs our Talent Assessment practice, has said, “The more you can match what is important to an individual with what the job can provide, the more satisfied he or she will be.”
What about money as a motivator? Of course money is part of whether someone is satisfied with their work, but it is a profound error to assume that it is always a motivator. Money can also be a dissatisfier - if I am not paid well enough I will be unhappy. However, money is not generally something by itself that makes an employee want to go above and beyond. Multiple studies, for example, have shown that many younger employees (Gen X and Gen Y) place compensation below such motivators as the chance to do meaningful work and having a balanced lifestyle.
While a tool such as the MVPI is powerful, if you’d simply like a current idea of what’s important to someone, ask regularly. Even aspirations or career goals are not forever. Circumstances often change. For example: “Last year I did not want any more responsibility, but this year I can take on more and I am ready for a change.”
Don’t make one of the most common succession planning errors by assuming that your highest performer is “naturally” interested in moving up. Find out her aspirations. You want to be sure that an eventual successor really aspires to moving up.
Think of how many workplace issues could be resolved simply by asking. Don’t sit as a silent observer on the sideline. Ask away!
Best regards,
Sandra Davis, CEO