How to understand what type of motivation your colleagues have

To appropriately interact with your colleagues and motivate your subordinates, you must understand their motivation. You can apply several factors to find the primary inspiration.

Age. The older a person gets, the more they values what they have. Most likely, their main motivation is avoidance of failure. Young people, on the contrary, are ready to throw themselves into a vortex, so young employees are more likely to be motivated by success.

Culture. For example, Americans are more independent, leave home early, and start working to support themselves. They are more often aimed at success. Asians have a prevailing dependence on family, so their motivation is to avoid failure.

Scope of work. Those who seek to avoid failure choose professions such as accountant, technologist, or an administrator. On the other hand, those who crave success prefer creative work: journalists, artists, and inventors. First, however, it is necessary to look at the person’s position and whether they are satisfied with it. For example, if an accountant constantly complains that their work does not provide freedom, they chose the wrong field, and their primary motivation is a success.

Type of sport. Players in soccer or basketball are more focused on success, whereas gymnasts and tennis players are geared toward minimizing failures because they are punished for mistakes; that is, they lose points.

Favorite expressions. You can see a person’s motivation by what they say. Favorite words of those who seek to avoid failure: ” A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” “All that glitters isn’t gold,” “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch,” and ” Haste makes waste.” Meanwhile, those who strive for success say: “Keep your head,” “Winners are not judged,” and “A pessimist sees obstacles, an optimist – sees opportunities.”