05/05/2026
In one of my recent classroom sessions, a manager shared:
“𝗜’𝗺 𝗽𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺❟ 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴｡ 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀❟ 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁-𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻｡”
You could sense immediate recognition across the group.
Because this is where the real challenge begins. Not due to lack of effort, but because motivation is often approached too generically.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗲:
🔸 The same actions applied to everyone
🔸 Attempts to “boost morale” that don't succeed
🔸 Motivation that spikes… then fades
The shift happens when managers reframe their role - from “𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙤 𝙄 𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢?” to “𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙪𝙖𝙡?”
Because is internal, individual, and constantly evolving.
What drives someone today may not drive them tomorrow.
𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀:
🔸 Understand individual drivers beyond compensation
Identify what truly matters - growth, recognition, autonomy, purpose, learning, or stability - and how this evolves
🔸 Shape the day-to-day experience
Create clarity, meaningful work, involvement, and opportunities to contribute and grow
🔸 Communicate transparently, even when the answer is “not now.”
Set expectations, explain constraints, and maintain open dialogue to build trust
That’s when motivation becomes sustainable, rather than situational.
So if motivation feels inconsistent, the question may not be:
“𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙄 𝙙𝙤 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛?” but “𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙢 𝙄 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙚𝙩?”
How does this align with your experience?
Let’s talk! www.dynargie.com
