What I learned in the last years is that there are two different ‘levels’ of motivating people and team members, the ‘passive’ and the ‘active’ one. What does it mean?
The ‘passive’ one is the basic level of motivation:
It’ s the level where we often focus in our discussions, presentations and communication, whether it is in face-to-face dialogues or in online media. We let people know that certain activities makes sense and helps to make the world a little better. And yes, some of them are willing to do so.
We try to motivate by delivering facts and figures. We talk about the issue itself and about possible effects. Because we have learnt eg at school – that these are the factors to success. If you do not know, you cannot make it/understand. This kind of knowledge transfer is important, without doubt.
But this is also where we stuck, especially when it comes to the point where we want them to motivate to participate. We try to prevent people from risks by telling them that it could have negative consequences on their lives. We tell them about better nutrition for preventing their diseases. We try to find funds by informing them on our projects.
And how? We tell them mostly about facts and ‘rational, explainable’ benefit.
The active involvement- or second level of motivation:
Have you ever asked yourself why you want to be a social entrepreneur? Why it feels good?
I think what makes the difference is mostly the idea that YOU can do something that helps, that makes it better for OTHERS. It is the knowledge on facts and figures that shapes your project, but the main motivation is that you can actively make people feel better. You to others.
So, why not motivate people by showing them which effect their behavior will have on others?
If they know that their own behavior can have a positive effect on others and how they can actively contribute to make things better, they feel simply better. This can be done even via a basic reminder of how an activity helps other vastly improves performance, as this example show:
Grant put up two different signs at a hand-washing station at a hospital. One focused on how doctors or nurses could catch diseases if they were lax. Another reminded them that patients could. The latter increased soap and hand sanitizer use by 45 percent.
(See related article)
When I read this I thought yes, that’s the better way to motivate people. It’s the difference of asking for a passive or active contribution.
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