Command-and-control managers often get frustrated because they believe that motivating employees demand 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. You want engaged staff.

Measuring engagement tells you where things are at but 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 that can be a costly trap.

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 actually lessens people’s intrinsic motivation.

How do you help your employees be motivated?

#leadership #coaching #engagement