Motivation: Maybe Your Employee Isn't Unmotivated
“They’re just not motivated.”
How many times have managers said some version of that?
Maybe you've said it yourself. An employee isn't taking initiative.
Someone doesn't seem excited about a new opportunity.
A team member isn't responding to recognition.
Someone keeps doing the minimum when you know they're capable of more.
It's tempting to reach a quick conclusion: They're unmotivated.
But before we settle on that explanation, there's another question worth asking:
What if you're motivating them with the wrong thing?
Motivation Isn't One-Size-Fits-All
Think about the people you've worked with. One person may light up when you give them a new challenge. Another may want recognition for a job well done. Someone else may want an opportunity to learn. Another person may value flexibility. Someone else may simply want you to trust them and give them the freedom to do their job. None of these people are necessarily more or less motivated.
They may simply respond to different things. That's an important distinction for managers.
Because if you assume everyone is motivated by the same things you are, you can spend a lot of time trying to motivate people in ways that don't actually matter to them.
The Manager's Motivation Trap
Here's where managers can get stuck. You know what motivates you. Maybe you like responsibility. Maybe you enjoy recognition. Maybe you want to win. Maybe you love a difficult challenge. Maybe you like being given autonomy. So when someone on your team isn't responding the way you would, you naturally reach for the things that would motivate you. You give them more responsibility. You praise them. You give them a new challenge. You offer an opportunity. You give them more independence.
And then... Nothing.
You think: “What's wrong with this person?”
Maybe nothing is wrong. Maybe you simply haven't figured out what matters to them.
Stop Asking, “How Do I Motivate My Team?”
Try a different question: “What seems to matter to this person?”
That question requires you to pay attention. Look for patterns.
What kinds of work energize them?
Notice what happens when they receive different assignments.
Do they become more engaged when they're solving a problem? Working with people?
Learning something new? Taking ownership? Organizing details? Creating something?
What kind of feedback gets their attention?
Some people appreciate public recognition. Others would rather receive a quiet “I noticed what you did.” Some want specific feedback. Others want to know that their work made a difference. Again, there isn't necessarily one universally correct approach. You have to know the person.
What responsibilities do they seem to enjoy?
Pay attention to what people volunteer for. Someone who consistently raises their hand for new projects may be telling you something. So might the person who prefers becoming exceptionally good at their existing responsibilities rather than constantly taking on something new. Those preferences can give you clues.
And here's a crazy idea: Ask them.
You don't have to turn this into a complicated leadership exercise.
Try:
“What kind of work do you find most energizing?”
Or:
“What makes you feel like you're doing your best work?”
Or:
“What kind of recognition actually means something to you?”
You might learn something you didn't know.
Behavioral Differences Matter
This is also where understanding behavioral differences becomes useful.
People don't necessarily communicate, process information, make decisions or respond to their environment in the same way. That doesn't mean we should reduce people to a label.
It means we should become better observers. For example, one person might be energized by moving quickly and having the freedom to make decisions. Another might be energized by collaboration and interaction. Someone else might want time to think, understand the details and feel confident before moving forward. Another might place a high value on stability, relationships and a supportive environment.
If you manage all four people exactly the same way, you may accidentally make your job harder. Not because you're a bad manager. Because you're assuming sameness where there is difference.
Motivation Starts With Curiosity
This connects directly to last week's conversation about self-awareness.
First, we look at ourselves.
How do I communicate?
How do I respond under pressure?
What do I value?
How do I tend to lead?
Then we turn our attention toward the people we're responsible for leading.
What matters to them?
What gets their attention?
What makes them feel trusted?
What helps them do their best work?
That's a very different approach from simply saying: “They're not motivated.”
It's more curious. And curiosity gives you somewhere to go.
A Simple Challenge for Managers
Think about one employee you've described as “unmotivated.”
Don't try to fix them yet. Just observe.
Ask yourself:
When does this person seem most engaged?
What types of work seem to energize them?
What kind of feedback do they respond to?
What responsibilities do they seem to enjoy?
Have I actually asked them what motivates them?
You may discover that the person isn't lacking motivation. You may discover that you haven't understood their motivation yet. And that's a very different problem.
The Bigger Leadership Lesson
Good leadership isn't about finding one perfect way to lead people. It's about becoming flexible enough to understand the people you're leading. That doesn't mean lowering expectations. It doesn't mean avoiding accountability. And it doesn't mean giving every employee whatever they want. It means understanding the person well enough to know how to communicate, encourage and challenge them effectively. That's the work. And it starts with curiosity.
This week, choose one person on your team. Instead of asking: “Why aren't they motivated?”
Ask: “What seems to matter to this person?” Then watch. Listen. And if you're still not sure...ask them.
Use these five questions during your next one on one with them:
What kind of work do you find most energizing?
What type of responsibility would you like more of?
What kind of feedback is most useful to you?
What makes you feel like you've done a really good job?
What would make your work more engaging right now?
Want to Understand Your Team Better?
This is where DISC behavioral assessments and team debriefs can become useful. A behavioral assessment isn't a magic answer to motivation. But it can give a team a common language for talking about differences in how people communicate, what they naturally prioritize, communication preferences and how those differences can affect the way they show up at work.
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