Coach’s Corner: Pull this Magic Lever to Sustain Motivation for You and Your Team
Last week, I did my best impression of a supportive spouse and “plus one” at an annual conference we’ve attended for years—and through which we’ve made many good friends. While the attendees are a diverse group by most measures, one notable attribute they share is a high degree of objective success.
Not unlike the crowd you’ll see March 2–4 at the Spring Remarketing Exchange in Dallas (you’re going, right?), these are smart, driven people who do high-level work and get paid for it.
As a leadership coach, it’s a pleasure to mix, mingle, and learn from this group. Yet trying to identify the common denominators behind their motivation to succeed can feel like an impossible task at first. As much as this group has in common—they love talking about their work niche, for one—the similarities run out quickly. Not only are all the demographic possibilities covered, there’s also a wide range of personalities, perspectives, and personal interests represented.
Having had years to dig deeper into this tapestry of successful humans, a few points of motivational consistency stand out—patterns that seem to sustain both their motivation and their success:
They do something interesting, challenging, and enjoyable to them, and—importantly—their role is well-defined.
They create an atmosphere of success not just for themselves, but for those around them.
They believe in their ability to make a difference.
#1 may sound like a luxury to some, and #2 should be something we all strive toward. But there’s magic in #3. The other two fall apart without it. #3 is where everything starts. The fancy word for this is efficacy.
Psychologist Albert Bandura wrote:
“People strive to exercise control over events that affect their lives. The capability to produce valued outcomes and to prevent undesired ones, therefore, provides powerful incentives for the development and exercise of personal control.”
It sounds simple—until you think about the project you haven’t started yet because you’re not sure how. Or the team member you wish had a little more pep in their step as they struggle to learn something new. Or even the gym routine that isn’t sticking…because you’re not sure it’s working, or not clear on what’s realistically achievable.
This shows up in relationships, too (especially in relationships), where our sense of agency can feel compromised by the intentions or actions of another.
As our view of our own efficacy—our belief in our ability to produce a desired result—becomes less clear or diminished, so does our motivation. Whether coaching ourselves or others, remembering this concept will pay enormous dividends as we strive to help others stoke their own motivation. Some questions that can assist:
How clear is the desired result of the thing I’m doing?
How well-matched are my abilities to this task? What skills could use polishing or support along the way?
What triggers erode my self-confidence and sense of efficacy?
What role am I playing in building efficacy for the people around me? What role could I play?
Examine and experiment with these “levers” of efficacy—clarity of desired results and honest assessment of your ability to execute—for yourself and your teammates. I’d love to hear how it goes.
Joe Miller is the Founder of Awareness to Action Coaching where he empowers our industry and the community with coaching and content for current and future leaders. After 15 years in the heart of our industry as an executive at AutoIMS, Joe brings a unique understanding of the remarketing industry and a passion for helping leaders reach their potential. You can see more of Joe’s content on LinkedIn or schedule time with him directly or contact Joe with questions.