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Why motivation and inspiration are important in the workplace
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Why motivation and inspiration are important in the workplace
Fallen into a slump? Projects feel like a drag? Teammates getting on your nerves? Spending too much time staring at a blank computer screen? We’ve all been there. What you need is some motivation and inspiration to get back on track. But how do you find them?
We’ll examine the importance of understanding how these factors move a workplace. We’ll guide you through examples of motivation and inspiration in a professional setting, and when we’re done, we’ll have you out of that slump and back to the best version of yourself.
Though both greatly impact your professional and personal development, and we often lump them together, there are key differences between inspiration and motivation.
Inspiration influences how you feel. It’s something that catches your eye, makes you curious, and moves you to get creative or consider taking action.
Motivation, on the other hand, is the reasoning behind your actions, like the reason you felt compelled to go to college or push for your next promotion. Motivation is the reason you work hard, and inspiration is the catalyst behind those actions.
Let’s highlight other key differences between inspiration and motivation:
There are two different types of motivation: intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation occurs when you want to do something that satisfies you. You're thinking of your own well-being and interests. If you care about animals, for example, intrinsic self-motivation might spur you to volunteer at a local pet shelter.
Extrinsic motivation is what pushes you to action because of external factors. Where intrinsic motivation motivates you for primarily selfish reasons (not that this is necessarily a bad thing), extrinsic motivation is the motivation spurred by external causes, such as your colleagues or your organization as a whole.
You’re usually taking steps to achieve external rewards or avoid punishment. Motivating your team members with a bonus because your company needs a sales boost is a good example of the former.
Inspiration is a bit more straightforward — it comes from inside you. Maybe an external influence — like a great piece of work or an incredible coworker — inspired you, but it’s a personal feeling and emotion.
Nobody tells you to feel a particular way about your inspiration, either. It connects to your values, interests, and beliefs, which is why everyone's sources of inspiration differ.
Motivation and inspiration stir up all sorts of feelings and emotions. One minute your motivation might keep feeling passionate and laser-focused, and the next you’re struggling under the pressure of attaining your goal.
Motivation is something you have to work to sustain. Inspiration, on the other hand, makes you creative, energetic, and joyful, and your positive feelings influence you to set new goals.
Ideally, you’d find a productive balance between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. If you find you rely on external rewards to stay motivated, you likely aren't prioritizing your own well-being and needs enough. These motivation examples will help put things into perspective.
Intrinsic motivation:
Extrinsic motivation:
Leaders generally understand this at a deeper level than most. The ability to motivate and inspire employees is what gets results out of key stakeholders at every level. But motivation in the workplace isn’t only reserved for those in management positions.
It takes a village, as they say, and a lack of motivation among employees or peers can be toxic for the workplace. Here are some signs that your workplace is undermotivated:
That’s obviously not ideal.
Studies have found that properly motivated employees experience significant boosts in effectiveness and efficiency. Motivated workers understand the value of teamwork, and their workplace flourishes in areas relying on them to see the big picture and consistently move toward it.
Inspiration, for employees, is paramount. Research shows that it would take nine uninspired employees to do the work of four inspired employees. That makes inspired employees just over two times more productive than their disillusioned teammates. Inspired employees think outside the box. They discover solutions to problems and lead with fresh new ideas.
Think about it: when you feel like your creative juices are allowed to flow freely, you feel more positive about the purpose of your work, which improves your well-being.
Uninspired employees, on the other hand, drag a team’s productivity down. They struggle to stay motivated. And if employees don’t have the spark of inspiration, the whole team’s work will suffer.
To keep your team motivated, keep them inspired. Remind them what they’re working for and why — tangible rewards or not.
Now that you understand the differences between motivation and inspiration and how these concepts benefit your workplace, let’s learn how to put them to good use.
You understand the usefulness of encouraging your staff and are equipped with examples of motivation and inspiration in the workplace. Is there anything left to do?
Yes — once you sew the seeds of motivation and inspiration at your company, you can't forget to recognize the results. Highlighting motivation and inspiration will empower your team members. When you show them their hard work is paying off, it encourages them to keep pushing forward.
And when you find motivation and inspiration for yourself, don't be afraid to share it. Celebrate your wins and show your team the positive impact on your life and work ethic. Soon enough, you'll see other employees taking pride in their motivation and inspiration.
Ignite your motivation and build a growth mindset. Our coaches give you the tools to overcome challenges and achieve your goals.
Ignite your motivation and build a growth mindset. Our coaches give you the tools to overcome challenges and achieve your goals.
Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships.
With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.
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