Command-and-control managers get frustrated because they believe that motivating employees demands a lot of effort. Being a leader and exerting authority aren’t the same thing.

You can coerce people to do what you want, but that’s not leadership.

“Too many times, engagement measures are not valid as they confuse the four engagement levels: dissatisfaction, satisfaction, motivation and commitment.”

Many organizations use bonuses and tangible rewards to motivate their employees. But financial rewards don’t influence everyone. For example, religious symbolism may motivate the religion’s believers, but it often has little influence on other people. Tangibles can’t motivate everyone; only intangibles can do that.

Psychologist Edward Deci suggests, “Nothing tangible can make us motivated. All motivation comes from the intangible.”
He found that using tangible rewards could work against intrinsic motivation. Motivation that stems from the desire to get a reward lessens people’s intrinsic motivation.

How do you help your employees to be motivated?