Today we are diving into the topic of motivation. With September just around the corner, it’s often seen as the time of the “second start of the year”.
I wanted to dive today into Day 19 of the 90-Day Guide for Success, my 2021 book which is a guide for onboarding and reboarding in today’s evolving workspace.
Here’s what I wrote:
WHAT?
What elements are going to keep you moving forward with your work? Motivation has several Components —internal and external factors. Ultimately motivation is about:
• What’s going to get you out of bed in the morning?
• What’s going to keep you moving?
• What gets you excited about your work?
Self-motivation can be critical for remote workers, given that we are working in isolation and many issues get magnified.
What inspires you? What helps you go “above and beyond”? When do you know it’s time to stop?
Motivation is an even more important topic for the remote and hybrid workspace, compared to an in-person environment. Our own internal motivation is often our oxygen. It’s what helps us move forward, as well as arrests us. What would you say your motivational factors are?
We often talk about the Big Five in motivation. They are remembered by the acronym OCEAN (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism).
Other motivational frameworks include Daniel Pink’s framework of being motivated by Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose. What things motivate you as a remote professional?
Did You Know?
What makes you feel like you belong or don’t belong?
• Sense of purpose
• Sense of mission
• Sense of connection to others
• Clarity about your work—what you need to do, how you need to do it
• How your work impacts others
• What contribution you are making to others
• How you are learning and growing—as a remote worker, professional, and human being
SO WHAT?
Two layers of motivation around remote and hybrid work include our Why and the How:
Motivation of why we want to work remote. There are many “drivers” or reasons why people want to work remote, including:
• Flexibility, ability to juggle multiple projects or clients
• Wanting to avoid the commute
Take time to identify what your Why factors are. Why do you love remote work? What motivates you in the remote space? Make a list of motivators, as well as de-motivators such as loneliness, less visibility, etc.
Motivation for how to do work. Knowing the latter helps us when our well runs dry and we need to find ways to get ourselves out of a slump. According to the approaches identified in a 2017 study by Grenny and Maxfield of more than 1,100 remote workers, the following elements were found to provide more support for remote workers. This included:
• More frequent 1-1 time
• Explicit expectations
• More face-to-face or voice-to-voice time
• Prioritizing relationships
• Being available
Motivation and goals. Motivation is a key issue for remote workers. It also links back to the topic of SMARTE Goals we explored in Day 8. In my writing, I talk about the importance of creating SMARTE Goals; in addition to SMART goals, we want to make sure our goals are exciting (the “-E” part). If they are not exciting, it’s unlikely that we are going to follow through and work on them.
What can we do to make sure our goals are exciting?
• Go to the big picture—a year from now, how can this help move your career forward?
• Think about how it will help you learn, grow, change.
• Consider what is important in terms of the bigger picture, our legacy or our impact.
Red flags around motivation. Note when these things are happening. They may be a signal that something is afoot:
• Procrastination
• Lack of focus
• Missing deadlines
• Not getting all the details/requirements around a project
• Withdrawal and changes to your schedule
Motivational issues are critical to address and/or discuss with your leader and/or mentor. It is important to do so as early as possible, given the self-directed nature of the remote worker’s world.
WHAT’S YOUR LEGACY?
Excerpt: 90-DAY GUIDE FOR SUCCESS, Jennifer Britton (© 2021, Day 19 , page 145. All Rights Reserved.
Enjoy the reflection!
Jennifer
I wanted to dive today into Day 19 of the 90-Day Guide for Success, my 2021 book which is a guide for onboarding and reboarding in today’s evolving workspace.
Here’s what I wrote:
WHAT?
What elements are going to keep you moving forward with your work? Motivation has several Components —internal and external factors. Ultimately motivation is about:
• What’s going to get you out of bed in the morning?
• What’s going to keep you moving?
• What gets you excited about your work?
Self-motivation can be critical for remote workers, given that we are working in isolation and many issues get magnified.
What inspires you? What helps you go “above and beyond”? When do you know it’s time to stop?
Motivation is an even more important topic for the remote and hybrid workspace, compared to an in-person environment. Our own internal motivation is often our oxygen. It’s what helps us move forward, as well as arrests us. What would you say your motivational factors are?
We often talk about the Big Five in motivation. They are remembered by the acronym OCEAN (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism).
Other motivational frameworks include Daniel Pink’s framework of being motivated by Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose. What things motivate you as a remote professional?
Did You Know?
What makes you feel like you belong or don’t belong?
• Sense of purpose
• Sense of mission
• Sense of connection to others
• Clarity about your work—what you need to do, how you need to do it
• How your work impacts others
• What contribution you are making to others
• How you are learning and growing—as a remote worker, professional, and human being
SO WHAT?
Two layers of motivation around remote and hybrid work include our Why and the How:
Motivation of why we want to work remote. There are many “drivers” or reasons why people want to work remote, including:
• Flexibility, ability to juggle multiple projects or clients
• Wanting to avoid the commute
Take time to identify what your Why factors are. Why do you love remote work? What motivates you in the remote space? Make a list of motivators, as well as de-motivators such as loneliness, less visibility, etc.
Motivation for how to do work. Knowing the latter helps us when our well runs dry and we need to find ways to get ourselves out of a slump. According to the approaches identified in a 2017 study by Grenny and Maxfield of more than 1,100 remote workers, the following elements were found to provide more support for remote workers. This included:
• More frequent 1-1 time
• Explicit expectations
• More face-to-face or voice-to-voice time
• Prioritizing relationships
• Being available
Motivation and goals. Motivation is a key issue for remote workers. It also links back to the topic of SMARTE Goals we explored in Day 8. In my writing, I talk about the importance of creating SMARTE Goals; in addition to SMART goals, we want to make sure our goals are exciting (the “-E” part). If they are not exciting, it’s unlikely that we are going to follow through and work on them.
What can we do to make sure our goals are exciting?
• Go to the big picture—a year from now, how can this help move your career forward?
• Think about how it will help you learn, grow, change.
• Consider what is important in terms of the bigger picture, our legacy or our impact.
Red flags around motivation. Note when these things are happening. They may be a signal that something is afoot:
• Procrastination
• Lack of focus
• Missing deadlines
• Not getting all the details/requirements around a project
• Withdrawal and changes to your schedule
Motivational issues are critical to address and/or discuss with your leader and/or mentor. It is important to do so as early as possible, given the self-directed nature of the remote worker’s world.
WHAT’S YOUR LEGACY?
Excerpt: 90-DAY GUIDE FOR SUCCESS, Jennifer Britton (© 2021, Day 19 , page 145. All Rights Reserved.
Enjoy the reflection!
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized |Reconnecting Workspaces | Group Coaching Essentials
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats
Follow us on Instagram @ReconnectingWorkspaces
Phone: (416)996-8326
Check out my TEDx talk - Virtual, Remote and Hybrid Checklist
Looking to bring your workplaces back together, whether you are remote, hybrid, or face-to-face? Pick up a copy of my book, Reconnecting Workspaces, at Amazon
Potentials Realized |Reconnecting Workspaces | Group Coaching Essentials
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats
Follow us on Instagram @ReconnectingWorkspaces
Phone: (416)996-8326
Check out my TEDx talk - Virtual, Remote and Hybrid Checklist
Looking to bring your workplaces back together, whether you are remote, hybrid, or face-to-face? Pick up a copy of my book, Reconnecting Workspaces, at Amazon
RSS Feed
