The Motivation Question You’re Not Asking
Three questions to ask in your next 1:1
Here are three questions to ask if you want to know what actually motivates your teammate, not what you assume does.
1. What part of your week made you lose all track of time?
This surfaces flow state. Think back to the last time you were doing something you enjoyed so much you stopped watching the clock, and when you finally looked up, hours had passed. That's flow, and it's a good place to be. Their answer tells you what kind of work energizes them, versus what just needs to get done. For myself in my business, flow state happens when I'm leading workshops with clients and strategizing about ALL things Customer Experience.
2. What's something you did here that you were proud of, that nobody noticed?
This uncovers what they actually value about their own contribution. It often goes unrecognized because it's not the kind of thing anyone thought to look for. Take it a step further and ask how they'd like to be recognized for it. I interviewed a candidate a few weeks ago and her proudest moments are when she balances and account "to the penny". That told me something about what kind of work motivates her.
3. If you could hand off one part of your role tomorrow, what would it be, and what would you want more of instead?
This shows you the gap in their key responsibilities. Years ago, it was important to me to hand off responsibility for our annual inventory. I couldn't imagine wanting to do less of anything. So I found someone on my team who was motivated by that kind of work, had them trained, and delegated it to them. What did I want to do more of? Leadership training and facilitating. Just like that, I had the space to make both changes.
You'll notice none of these questions ask "what motivates you?" People often don't know, when asked outright. Instead, we come at it sideways, and draw conclusions, with their help, from the answers.
A leadership win, for you
Take some time this week to watch for leadership wins. Not the big ones. I'm talking about the small ones that no one else notices but you. For me, those are a big smile from a teammate when I ask about their weekly game night, or when someone comes to me for nothing other than to share something they're excited about in their home life, or when I'm able to help talk them through something blocking their day.
These small wins are cause to celebrate. Leaders account for roughly 70 percent of the variance in how engaged their team actually is, according to ongoing Gallup research.
Not the paycheque, the benefits, or the weekly pizza lunch. Their direct leader. The good days you have with your team are the result of things you're doing right. Notice it this week. And if it's been a quiet week, that's great too.
What I'm reading this week
The Effortless Experience: Conquering the New Battleground for Customer Loyalty by Matthew Dixon, Nick Toman, and Rick Delisi.
A fantastic read that challenges the long-standing belief that customer loyalty is built by service so good it "surprises and delights." Instead, the authors argue customers are actually looking for something simpler and more repeatable than that: an experience with as little friction as possible. Worth the read if you've ever assumed wowing the customer was the goal.