What is it that motivates people?

This post came out from The Straits Times (21 August 2015)
Title - The new motivation

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Self awareness versus self assurance
2. People do not like to be told what to do
3. Allow people to chase their passion

On Self awareness versus self assurance

• When you tell a team member that he is good in planning and organising, you are referring only to his self-awareness. He is aware, but that does not mean a thing to him.
• However, if you can give him concrete evidence of that strength, for example, "I see that you have this inner ability to create a system quickly when faced with chaos, cutting through the confusion and providing great clarity in a short period", that is self assurance and you can be sure that person will repeat the strength again because you have just assured his strength in concrete terms.
• Take time today to identify your team members' strengths and assure them of that strength through concrete evidence versus just touching the surface. Ask your team members for feedback on your strength with real evidence too. 

On People do not like to be told what to do

• This creates opportunities for us, especially if you wish to be a leader who aims to coach your people into giving themselves an answer they believe in, and taking action not because you ask them to, but because they want to.
• People spring into action when they have an emotional interest in something. In simple terms, we called it vested interest. 
• To motivate people into action, they need to create an emotional account of their own. You can't open the account for them, but you can facilitate the process. 
• Asking questions to funnel them towards their desired behaviour will triple the impact because once people discover the answer themselves, they will repeat that action or behaviour consistently, making the behaviour sustainable, versus telling them over and over again hoping that it will stick. 
• Learn how to coach people into success today. Nothing is more powerful than a question with an intention.

On Allow people to chase their passion

• Passion fuel more passion in a person's work and it drives purpose and purpose drives results. We are programmed from day one with our strength and all we need is assurance that we can do it. Most of the time, we know what we are expected to do even before we are told what to do.
• Most importantly, the natural driving force is a person's fiery passion, which is there all the while - as long as the leader does not put out the fire but has the ability to ignite it further. 

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big