Motivation and engagement has always been an important focus for organisations and in a time when results can make or break a business, understanding it has become even more critical. The challenge with motivation and engagement is it is multifaceted because human beings have unique strengths and think, feel and behave differently.
So how exactly do we keep ourselves and others motivated and engaged during a time of upheaval? I’d like to suggest a new place to look right now which is how we are managing our energy.
One of the places to focus on that gives us significant clues about our energy levels is our strengths. Being aware of them can help us recognise what fuels and what drains our energy tank. Too much time running around on empty outside of our strengths can cause us stress, frustration, low energy and can potentially lead us to burnout. And it goes without saying that when our energy is low, so is our motivation and engagement.
Research show us that when we use our strengths, we are happier, more energised, confident, motivated and engaged. Which means we are more productive, perform better at work and more likely to achieve our goals.
And here’s the thing – to be able to realise those benefits we have to meet the needs of our strengths and fuel them. Just like when we are hungry and don't get fed, when our strengths aren't fed we get grumpy, stop growing and ultimately run out of energy.
Here are some things to think about so you can become more self-aware about what your strengths need so you can be more energised, motivated, and engaged:
Step 1: Think about the day to day tasks you have perform
Step 2: For each task consider where this falls for you in terms of:
You can do it well, but it doesn’t excite you. Whilst you might assume that strengths are the things you are good at doing, it’s not necessarily the case. You might have learnt to be good at something, yet it can take you quite a long time to muster up the energy and enthusiasm to do it. It feels like a chore whilst you're doing it and after you have done it you find you have little motivation or energy left for anything else.
You dread it and wish you never had to do it again. You absolutely put this off until it becomes a necessity. These are the types of task and activities that sit at the bottom of your ‘To Do’ list. It feels really draining to do it, you continue to feel drained after you have done it and your mood feels low. You are trying to perform this from a place of weakness – something you are not naturally good at.
You want to do these things and love doing them, but they may add little or no value to your organisation and are a distraction from what you really need to be doing. It’s important to recognise that: we are motivated to chase the energy of our strengths because it makes us feel good! So be really honest about what you might be spending time on because you’re fuelling your own needs, rather than what is of value to your organisation and the role you are there to fulfil.
You feel productive, energised, engaged and ‘in flow’, losing track of time as you become absorbed in the activity. Here you are productive and adding value. Even if you feel tired when you are finished, you feel enthusiastic and happy. You look forward to doing it again and your mood is high.
Consider what you could do about the activities that feel like and chore and are draining you. Here are some questions to consider:
What might you be able to experiment with right now to learn and see what’s possible and what emerges so you can spend more time playing to your strengths and feeling energised? What do you need in terms of support, resources, and consent to make it safe for you to try?
If you lead a team this can be a helpful exercise for each individual member to do together with frequent check-ins that explore questions to give you more insight including:
A collective team exercise to explore insights around energy and strengths can help you think about where to reallocate activities and tasks to increase motivation, engagement, and productivity.
When we understand and apply our strengths effectively, it energises and empowers us to stay focused on a task for longer as we step into our flow. And if there was ever a time to discover and step into your strengths and what energises you and your team, that moment is now.
How would you like to start a conversation?