4 Ways to Get People Motivated

Motivation is a highly influential aspect of behavior. Whether it be at work, with family, or personal, motivation is that driving factor that makes people want to achieve new things. Often, however, it can be tough to get people motivated. There is an entire branch of business psychology that focuses on getting employees motivated in the workplace. Sometimes even fear as a motivational factor is resorted to. (Think generator sales during the Y2K scare) This, as you could probably guess, is the wrong way to go about it. Here are some ways to get people in gear the right way.

1. Appeal to the audience's emotions. Whether it be in a public speaking situation, a commercial, or even trying to convince your spouse, appealing to their emotions is a powerful way to get wohever it is motivated. This can be accomplished by relating a personal story or concern. People will act when emotionally driven, and it is easier to relate to your point of view for them.

2. Play upon people's natural need to succeed. Within all of us, there is a strong desire to succeed, whether it be monetarily, in relationships, or in personal satisfaction. This is a strong force in the minds of nearly every person. Take advantage of this need and motivate them by presenting how action, whatever it be, will improve their lives or get them closer to a personal goal in some way.

3. If possible, appease biological needs. It is generally agreed in the field of psychology that biological needs, hunger, thirst, shelter, etc., are the most powerful natural driving forces for people. It is hard-wired into the brain to put these needs above all else. An example of taking advantage of these needs is putting a water or soda machine in an office to motivate employees. Once the basics are taken care of, the brain can shift its attention to less important needs, such as work itself.

4. Use incentives wisely. The key to using incentives is practicality. If you offer a 5 cent per hour raise to a group of employees, for example, it will simply not work. They will more than likely take that as a slap in the face more than anything else. But, instead, if you motivate them from a satisfaction standpoint, such as an upper management member walking by and telling an employee that his work is valued and appreciated, a higher level of motivation is a very likely result.

Getting people motivated is a pretty tough thing to accomplish from an interpersonal standpoint. But if you keep it simple and try to put yourself in their shoes, what will motivate them most often becomes clear.