Each one of us has his own opinion about what motivation is. An opinion that is based on ones knowledge, education and experience. We call that philosophy of life. Because there are so many opinions, we often read about different definitions of what motivation is about.
Since we are in a hotel, people2people industry, motivation is part of our DNA. And so we would like to share with you our philosophy of motivation.
First of all we need to realize that: MOTIVATION is part of COACHING and coaching is part of LEADERSHIP. So the starting point for us will be leadership.
Why?
Over the last years of coaching and training experience, we have noticed that managers tend to struggle with motivation and leaders do not at all. So have we started to notice what is the difference between managers and leaders?
The simplest answer we have found is this:
Managers manage people and lead things.
Leaders manage things and lead people.
This significant difference is the core of misperception of the definition of motivation.
Many managers contact us asking about motivational programs, trainings or perform motivational speeches to their employees. When we answer them, it is not possible to motivate people, they get surprised.
They ask why? Everyone is doing it!
Well, the answer is no.
Leaders usually have motivated people. It is the Managers that are doing it, because they do not have motivated people.Not because of lack of a program or additional money, but because they are not the Leaders.
So if you are a Manager type and if you are looking at motivating people please take a few minutes to read below what Leaders know about motivation.
Let’s take a look at what motivation is.
Motivation is a state of mind that makes us do some things over another. We do those things, that the state of mind prefers us to do.
For example if I run a 5th mile jogging, it means that my state of mind tells me to do so. There are million of other things I could be doing, but right now, my motivation tells me to run.
However, if I am sitting on the couch watching TV right now, that means my motivation is telling me to do so.
If I am reading a book, same thing. If your receptionist is ignoring guests, same thing.
The point is motivation tells me what should I prefer to do. It tells me to run or sit. Read a book or not. Ignore a guest or service him.
Therefore EVERYTHING that we do, is caused by motivation. It means we will not do a thing, without being motivated to do it. And what that means motivation always exists.
Coming back to managers question: is there a program? Scheme? Process? to generate motivation?
No. There is none.
No-one can be motivated. Everyone is motivated all the time. Motivation always exists. That is why we do what we do. It’s a state of mind, state of our consciousness that makes us do things we feel we should do.
And if it is a state of consciousness, it is driven by our thoughts. Let me explain.
Obviously there are two types of motivation: Positive and negative.
Positive motivation is me running 5th mile. This means my thoughts make my consciousness want me to run. Very healthy.
Negative motivation is me sitting on the couch. This means my thoughts make my consciousness want me to sit. Very unhealthy.
Same thing applies to your staff. Positive motivation is them taking care of the guests with smile. Negative motivation is them ignoring the guests. Both driven by thoughts.
Why negative motivation happens? Negative motivation happens when any type of consciousness breaks down. There are 4 consciousness types:
- Mental
- Physical
- Emotional
- Spiritual
If any of these consciousness types break down, we are changing our thoughts to fix the breakdown. And as our consciousness impacts our motivation we do what we do to get back to our comfort. Sometimes to get back to our comfort zones, we do things that seem to be helping, even if there are negative to us, others or to our business in the long term.
If I feel tired, wrecked, I have physical breakdown. The response on my thoughts is ‘go take a seat’. My motivation therefore is to find a couch and sit on it. My action to that is a response.
If I am an introvert, or I do not like my boss, I have emotional or mental breakdown. The response on my thoughts is ‘ignore the guests to ignore my boss’. My action is exactly that.
In contrary, positive motivation appears when our consciousness is firm. If you are happy, guests are happy. If you feel the energy, you run and run long.
So is there a program that can change motivation?
No.
To change motivation you need to change people consciousness. To do that, you need to change their thoughts.
Here is the thing about thoughts. We should be aware of this.
The mechanics of the brain are as such: each thought generates an impulse. The impulse sends synapsis from one part of our brain to another part which is responsible for reaction to that synapsis.
If I think: “lift your right arm”, the thought generates impulse which creates synapsis to reach the part of my brain that is responsible for lifting my arm.
Each synapsis create grooves. To the point that if I think often about lifting my arm, the synapsis travels much faster as the groove is deeper each time the synapsis travels. To the point that it feels real time. Trust me it was not real time, when you were 2months.
Ok, so understanding how the brain works: repeated synapsis create grooves in our brains. The deeper the groove, the faster synapsis travels. Have you ever heard that “repetition is a mother of skill”? The more repeat the better you get?
Have you heard about the 10 000 rule? In order to get good at something you need to repeat it for 10 000 hours.
This is how long your synapsis are carving the grooves in your brains making it super fast. Making you a perfectionist in what you repeat.
What also they do, is they are so fast, you do not have to think about it consciously. There is a bypass. Automatisation. And when you are in auto mode – you just do it.
It is a great brain feature to have. Anyone can become a great basketball 3point shooter, if they will be persistent to shoot for 10 000 hours. Reaching perfection. But this brain feature also has a risk. It is very dangerous. Because your brain cannot tell what is right or wrong. It just repeats and it juts carves the grooves.
So if you feel tired, you create the groove for synapsis to tell you to sit down. If you repeat it for 10 000 hours, you become sitting perfectionist. And probably the heaviest person in the family.
OK, now you understand even more about the brain, let’s go back motivation.
We have said motivation always exists. It is what drives our actions. And it depends on our consciousness. If we have a breakdown of consciousness we try to repair it with sometimes negative actions. Sitting on the couch, ignoring customers or drinking, smoking, being sad. Actions that mean to fix our consciousness, but also they create synapsis, that create grooves in our brains. Becoming automatic.
Some people feel sad, although nothing really sad happened. It’s their automation. So they always feel sad. They call it depression.
Some people feel like having drink, although nothing really happened that makes them drink. So they drink all the time. They call it addiction.
Some people feel tired, despite they were sitting all day on the couch. So they sit all the time. They call it obesity.
Now you see that to motivate someone, means to change their motivation. To change ones motivation you need to change their consciousness, that sometimes maybe on automatic mode. In order to change the consciousness you need to change thoughts.
That is why Leaders never have a problem with motivation. They inspire people to think a certain way and do the things that need to be done.
Managers, are looking for a golden solution to “motivate people”. They can force you to do things, bribe you, threaten you. And you may do them, but only to fix your present consciousness breakdown – to get the manager off your back now.
If you like our philosophy of coaching and motivation, if you want to learn how to influence the awareness of other people to motivate them, please contact us (info@szkoleniahoteli.pl). We will send you a pdf with practical recommendations. They are useful in life and at work. See you next time!
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