Is Motivation Really the Problem?

Business Leaders are often looking for new and innovative ways to motivate their team members. In our recent Coaching Gold Podcast, Small Business Coach Erin Myers joined us for a discussion on motivation and how working with a coach can help leaders create environments that support employees in finding motivation and drive business success.

Understanding Motivation

Process over motivation.

The first point that Erin emphasized during the podcast is that motivating others is something that leaders spend too much time thinking about and not enough time doing. There is a myth that motivation is to be found before engaging in an activity. The reality is that the act of doing a task is motivation in itself. Psychology today explains that "motivation is the desire to act in service of a goal". Instead of trying to determine how you are going to get your employees excited about doing a task, leaders should focus on

1. Defining what needs to be accomplished.

2. Who is best capable of doing tasks?

3. What support is needed for successful task completion?

What needs to be accomplished?

One of the biggest derailers to motivation is a lack of clarity. Unclear tasks present four primary problems.

1. Unclear objectives and desired outcomes can make it challenging to pick the right employee to do the tasks. 

2. Lack of clarity on how you want tasks to be completed can be the cause of delays, overspends, and other inefficiencies.

3. Poorly defined goals can create anxiety for employees because they are unsure of your expectations.

4. Solutions can be over-engineered when the scope and key requirements are not defined.

Taking time to clarify objectives can help you pick the right person for the job, and ensure that that person understands what they are being asked to do.

Assign tasks based on Team Goals.

Once you have defined the business objective and desired outcome, it is time to determine who should be responsible for the task. With the Power6 Leader model, we teach leaders to use the ACES framework, which is a standard for assessing who should do the tasks based on the greater good of the team, communicating your expectations, empowering the employee to do the work, and supporting them along the way.

 When assessing who to assign tasks to, we encourage you to understand employees' strengths, competencies, and frustrations. The Working Genius Assessment can be a helpful tool as you strive to understand better what type of work your employees find motivating. Both Dorian and Erin use this tool to help leaders better understand their employees and how realigning roles and responsibilities can unlock greater productivity.

Employee motivation sours when employees spend more time working within their strengths. The increased motivation comes from their needs being fulfilled. Humans desire safety, community, recognition, and purpose. When you can design and assign work to employees that allows them to meet their financial objectives while also fulfilling other needs, you tap into the full potential of your employees.

Providing Support

After you have defined the objective and expected outcome and delegated the task to an employee, it is vital to remember to provide ongoing support to your employees. Support is going to look different based on the employee's experience and competency. Experienced employees may only need guidance and occasional check-ins. New employees may require training and ongoing counseling. Partnering with the employee to define the type and frequency of support they need can create trust, support effective communication, and improve the odds of the employees delivering on expectations.

How Coaching can help.

In 2022, the International Coaching Federation surveyed over 10,000 people and asked them about their primary reason for participating in coaching. 37% stated improving communication skills as the primary reason they sought coaching. Motivating employees comes down to communication first, because listening to employees, understanding their strengths, passions, skills, and experience is vital to putting them in a position where they are doing work that is intrinsically motivating for them. Second, your ability to effectively communicate what needs to be done, why it is essential, how you want it done, and by when can provide the extrinsic motivation employees need to support them in doing a task. Getting work done is all about combining an employee's internal motivation with your direction, support, and guidance (communication) to complete the task.

If you are interested in learning more about Erin Myers and her coaching program, you can find her on LinkedIn. To learn more about Your Path Coaching and Consulting, visit our website at www.yourpathexecutivesolutions.com or schedule a free consultation using this link.https://yourpathcoachingandconsulting.hbportal.co/schedule/635fe8e75275fb003103425c

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Are You Feeling Disconnected? An Executive Coach Can Help You Get Back on Track

It's easy to feel like you're just running on a treadmill, moving from one task to the next without a clear sense of purpose. You might be a highly ambitious professional, a community leader, or even a successful business owner, but still feel like you've hit a wall. You're no longer as fulfilled as you once were, and the impact you want to make feels just out of reach.

The Cost of Disconnection

Research shows that chronic feelings of disconnection can negatively impact both physical and mental well-being, leading to increased stress and burnout among professionals. Feeling disconnected isn't just a personal feeling; it's a significant issue in the modern workplace.

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Many successful professionals reach a point where they need to change their mindset to evolve as a leader and achieve the next level of success. This is where an executive coach comes in.

Overcoming the "Shoulds" and Getting Unstuck

We often get caught up in the "shoulds".What we believe society, our company culture, or our boss expects of us. Focusing on should can cause us to lose sight of our authentic self and our core values. We make decisions based on what we think is expected, not on what truly aligns with who we are.

An executive coach helps you break free from these patterns. Through a process of thoughtful, open-ended questions, a coach helps you:

• Gain Clarity: Understand the habits and beliefs that may be holding you back.

• Tap into Your Values: Reconnect with your core values and learn to lead from a place of authenticity.

• Build Self-Awareness: Identify the "shoulds" and other external pressures that are getting in your way.

By creating this space for self-reflection, a coach empowers you to discover that the answers you need are already within you. They don't give you a blueprint; they help you build your own.

The Benefits of a Coach: Finding Purpose from Being More Aware

Working with an executive coach can unlock several powerful benefits, transforming not only your career but your life. A coach helps you shift your mindset from a reactive approach to a proactive one. Instead of just reacting to the pressures of the moment, you learn to be more intentional. During a recent Coaching Gold podcast, executive coach Marisa Thomsas shared that coaching can help you: 

• Practicing Mindfulness: Taking time away from your busy schedule to disconnect and create space for yourself. Your cup should only ever be three-quarters full. This leaves space for the unexpected, provides an opportunity for rest, and allows you to dedicate time to things that bring joy and renew you.

• Checking Your Ego: Great leaders don't need to be the ones with all the answers. A coach helps you recognize when ego is driving your decisions, so you can instead focus on creating an environment where all voices are heard and valued. Working on being vulnerable leads to better, more resilient outcomes for your whole team.

Ultimately, an executive coach helps you live your best life, however you define it. They help you find your values, purpose, and goals, so that you can chart your path to success. This process transforms your thinking, allowing you to evolve as a person and leader, and to become the leader you desire to be.

Ready to Get Back on Your Path?

If you're ready to stop feeling stuck and start creating positive change, we're here to help.

• Schedule a free consultation today to discuss your unique goals and how we can help you get back on a path that feels right for you.

• Visit our website to learn more about our services.

• Or visit DoorS Effect to learn more about Marisa Thomas and her coaching services

#executivecoach #businessconsultant #personaldevelopment #careerdevelopment #businesssuccess

Strategies for Finding Motivation When You Have ADHD

Understanding the ADHD Motivation Engine

Motivation often works differently in the ADHD brain compared to neurotypical brains. Many individuals with ADHD operate with what Dr. William Dodson calls an "interest-based nervous system." This means engagement and focus are primarily driven by genuine interest, novelty, challenge, urgency, or passion rather than by a task's perceived importance, potential long-term benefits, or external pressures from others. Tasks deemed dull or lacking immediate relevance can be incredibly difficult to initiate and sustain focus on, regardless of their objective importance.

There is a significant difference in the ADHD brain's dopamine pathways when compared to neurotypical individuals, which play a crucial role in reward, motivation, and attention regulation. Research suggests that key aspects of the dopamine reward system may be underactive in ADHD brains. Interactivity in the dopamine reward system can lead to difficulty deriving satisfaction from ordinary activities and a stronger craving for stimuli that provide a more significant or immediate dopamine release. This phenomenon sometimes conceptualized as Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS), means that brains with ADHD often require more substantial, immediate, or personally relevant incentives to get and stay motivated, especially for tasks that aren't intrinsically interesting. Stimulation-seeking behaviors can sometimes be understood as the brain's attempt to regulate itself and achieve an optimal level of arousal for optimal functioning.

Why Reward Systems Can Help

Well-designed reward systems can effectively bridge this motivational gap. By providing more immediate, tangible, and personally meaningful positive consequences for completing tasks (especially non-preferred ones), rewards can supply the dopamine boost and salient feedback that the ADHD brain responds well to. They essentially act as a form of behavioral activation, leveraging the brain's unique reward pathways to provide the external "pull" needed to overcome inertia and engage with necessary but less stimulating activities.

Creating an Effective Reward System for Adults

The key to an effective reward system lies in personalization and immediacy. What motivates one person might not motivate another, and delayed rewards quickly lose their impact on the ADHD brain.

1. Identify Target Behaviors/Tasks: Be specific about the task or habit needing reinforcement. Focus on the positive behavior desired (e.g., "Complete expense report by Friday," "Exercise for 30 minutes"). Choose tasks that are consistently difficult to start or complete due to low interest.

2. Choose Personally Meaningful Rewards: The reward must be something genuinely desired and motivating to the individual. Brainstorm possibilities:

3. Experiences: An hour of uninterrupted hobby time, watching a desired movie, a weekend outing, listening to a new album.

4. Tangible Items: A small purchase related to an interest, a favorite snack (use food rewards cautiously and mindfully ), a new book or game.

5. Privileges: Guilt-free relaxation time, extra screen time for a preferred activity, ordering takeout instead of cooking.

6. Sensory Rewards: Lighting a favorite candle, using a luxurious bath bomb, spending time in nature.

7. Self-Care: A massage, a long bath, dedicated time for meditation or journaling.

8. Token System: Earning points or tokens for completed tasks that can be saved up for a larger, desired reward. This approach can be particularly practical for larger goals.

9. Ensure Immediacy: The reward should follow the completion of the target behavior as closely as possible, especially when establishing a new habit or tackling a challenging task. The ADHD brain often exhibits "delay aversion," meaning immediate reinforcement is far more powerful than delayed gratification.

10. Maintain Proportionality: The size or value of the reward should generally align with the amount of effort the task requires. Small rewards for small tasks, larger rewards for bigger accomplishments.

11. Keep it Novel: To combat boredom and maintain motivational power, vary the rewards over time. What was exciting last month might feel stale now.

12. Reward Effort, Not Just Perfection: Especially for challenging tasks where success isn't guaranteed, acknowledge and reward the effort put in. This encourages persistence.

13. Ensure Sustainability: Choose rewards that are feasible to provide consistently without causing undue financial strain or logistical problems.

14. Visualize Progress: Use a habit tracker (from Tip 5), a simple chart, or a token jar to make progress toward the reward visible. This visual feedback can be motivating in its own right.

15. Practice Self-Reinforcement: In addition to external rewards, cultivate the habit of self-praise. Acknowledge effort and celebrate small wins internally.

Potential Pitfalls to Avoid

• Unsustainable Rewards: Choosing rewards that are too expensive or difficult to deliver consistently.

• Unhealthy Rewards: Relying heavily on rewards that undermine well-being (e.g., excessive junk food, skipping sleep).

• Over-Reliance: Using rewards for everything can diminish intrinsic motivation. Reserve them for tasks that genuinely require an external boost. The long-term aim should involve finding ways to connect tasks to personal values or find inherent interest, alongside developing self-management skills.

Reward System Resources:

• ADDitude - ADHD Brain Stimulation, Dopamine, and Reward: https://www.additudemag.com/brain-stimulation-and-adhd-cravings-dependency-and-regulation/

• ADDitude - Secrets of the ADHD Brain (Interest-Based Nervous System): https://www.additudemag.com/secrets-of-the-adhd-brain/

• Joon App Blog - Reward System Tips (Child-focused, but adaptable): https://www.joonapp.io/post/reward-system-for-adhd-child

• CHADD - Considerations for Using Rewards with ADHD: https://chadd.org/for-educators/how-rewards-and-punishment-work-for-children-with-adhd/

• American SPCC - Benefits, Token Systems, Immediacy:

  https://americanspcc.org/unlocking-success-reward-systems-for-children-with-adhd/

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If ADHD is hindering your productivity, working with an executive coach can help you develop the habits, routines, and skills necessary to focus and follow through more consistently. If you are interested in learning more, schedule a discovery call. We can discuss how we can help you better manage your ADHD.

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