When you learn about motivation, you will hear about ‘intrinsic motivation’ and ‘extrinsic motivation’. And you may also hear that intrinsic motivators are better than extrinsic motivators. So, what’s the difference, and is one ‘better’ than the other?
This video is safe for viewing in the workplace.
This is learning, so, sit back and enjoy
Motivation – in the psychological context – is a desire, an impulse, or a drive to do something (or not). It manifests as if it is a force upon somebody and we often describe motivation towards some form of goal or objective.
An important role for a leader is to provide the motivation for your team to do their best work.
And there are many things that motivate human beings. Different motivators will be effective for:
A skilled leader is able to assess what will best motivate each of their followers, at the time and in the situation where they find themselves.
And, of course, motivation is harder in times of adversity, when people are, for example:
I have a whole course on our sister channel, Management Courses, about motivation. It offers a wide variety of models for both ‘how’ we are motivated, and ‘what’ will motivate us.
All the different things that can motivate us can be grouped into two categories:
Extrinsic motivation arises from motivators that lie outside of us. The effects that drive us are outside of us.
Positive extrinsic motivators include things like:
Negative extrinsic motivators include things like:
Intrinsic motivation arises from internal motivators arising from emotional changes. The effects that drive us are inside of us.
Positive extrinsic motivators include things like:
Negative extrinsic motivators include things like:
Often, we think of intrinsic motivators as being about doing things for their own sake, rather than for some kind of reward. But intrinsic motivators do give us a reward – it is just that the reward has no material value beyond our emotional state.
It can seem like Intrinsic motivation is evidently better than Extrinsic motivation. And it is certainly true that if you offer too much external reward for an intrinsically rewarding behavior, you can reduce overall motivation.
Avoid substantial extrinsic motivation where people will already be intrinsically motivated. Especially where this can make a pleasurable experience feel like ‘working for a reward’. But, where people are resistant, extrinsic motivators can give them the push they need. You can also use extrinsic motivators as small rewards that signal approval and act as positive feedback for desirable behaviors.
However, praise can be a reward that triggers intrinsic motivators like pride or satisfaction. And the great thing about praise is that, as a Project manager, it is one motivator that you will never run out of!
Carefully curated video recommendations for you:
I asked Project Managers in a couple of forums what material things you need to have, to do your job as a Project Manager. They responded magnificently. I compiled their answers into a Kit list. I added my own.
Check out the Kit a Project Manager needs
Note that the links are affiliated.
For more great Project Management videos, please subscribe to the OnlinePMCourses YouTube channel.
If you want basic Management Courses – free training hosted on YouTube, with 2 new management lessons a week, check out our sister channel, Management Courses.
For more of our Project Management videos in themed collections, join our Free Academy of Project Management.
For more of our videos in themed collections, join our Free Academy of Project Management.
Dr Mike Clayton is one of the most successful and in-demand project management trainers in the UK. He is author of 14 best-selling books, including four about project management. He is also a prolific blogger and contributor to ProjectManager.com and Project, the journal of the Association for Project Management. Between 1990 and 2002, Mike was a successful project manager, leading large project teams and delivering complex projects. In 2016, Mike launched OnlinePMCourses.
How to Write a Health & Safety Plan for Your Project | Video
What’s the Difference between PMP & PRINCE2? | Video
Decision-Making AI for Project Portfolios – with Stuart Easton | Video
How to Create a Discounted Cash Flow – DCF | Video
Session expired
Please log in again. The login page will open in a new tab. After logging in you can close it and return to this page.