The Intelligent Motivation System (IMS)

By Jim Cathcart

Intelligent Motivation(tm):

is determining what is important, 

identifying what action is needed and 

doing what is necessary to generate and 

sustain that action. 

Conscious, Intentional & Relentless Action 

Firm Standards, Clear Agreements, Meaningful Work, 

Accurate Measures, Appealing Rewards 

The more I work on "Intelligent Motivation (tm)" the better shape it takes. 

There is now a System to bring it together. Whenever I consult with a client organization these are the areas upon which I focus. 

• Firm Standards 
• Clear Agreements 
• Meaningful Work 
• Accurate Measurement 
• Appealing Recognition & Rewards 

In order to truly motivate people there needs to be a comprehensive approach to the task. 

Motivation requires "Motives" and for people to have the right motives we must assure that they understand the purpose and value of what we are asking them to do. 

When people find meaning in what they do they tend to add more value to what they do. 

Firm Standards: 

If you study the world's most impressive and successful organizations you will invariably find that they have high standards and they stick to them. At Disney, Hallmark, Four Seasons Hotels, and many more top companies the insistence on high quality work and adherence to rigid guidelines is NON-NEGOTIABLE. You either do it their way or you find somewhere else to work. Period. The same is true for the U.S. Marines. 

"If you don't belong here, see ya'. "

These high standards are what allows the organization to produce a consistently high-quality result. If they were to relax the standards to accomodate some less prepared or under-privileged person then their product would suffer and ultimately, so would their reputation. On some things we can never afford to compromise. On others, discussion is still open. 

Clear Agreements: 

A familiar organizational problem is Missed Expectations. 

Someone did what they thought was expected and found that their leader was expecting something else. Why? Because people don't often clearly communicate their expectations. 

How many times have you heard these words, 

"But I thought that's what you wanted me to do?" 

What an avoidable problem! There are proven ways to avert this and to develop better communication processes. One of these is the use of "Role Agreements." 

A role agreement is similar to a job description except that it doesn't describe tasks. Instead it defines three items: 

1. What the person is paid to accomplish. 

2. An overview of their areas of responsibility. 

3. A description of what you expect from them and of what they expect from you. 

This is not "given" to them, it is created with them so that they own it too. 

When expectations are clear, problem solving is easier. So is performance evaluation. 

Meaningful Work: 

People need to understand the value of doing a good job. They need to see how their work will make a difference to someone somewhere somehow. Without this they are just a machine producing "output." That is a pretty depressing role for anyone. 

"Does this really matter to anyone?"

We, as leaders, need to define the meaning in every aspect of our operations. All employees and participants need to see the value they are passing along. This gives them a sense of purpose, and purpose is motivating. When we talk about how our customers benefit from our product or service, when we tell stories of the value we provide, our people take more pride in their work and feel more dignity in doing it. 

Accurate Measures: 

Things that are measured tend to improve. Whatever you measure becomes real and tangible. People start to take it more seriously and they can see the relationship between actions and outcomes, causes and effects. If I know that you are measuring the times I arrive at work each day then I'll pay more attention to being prompt. If I don't think you measure the cost of goods used in producing my work then I'll probably have more waste than the person who closely monitors the cost of goods. 

In sports the statistics are pure gold. Batters know how success they have been against left handed pitchers in the first 50 pitches versus the last 50. Golfers and runners keep statistics to see whether they are on target or getting off track. 

Winners keep score...of everything! 

We can practice Behavioral Economics in many areas beyond the usual statistical reports and balance sheets. I believe we should be seeking to quantify everything reasonable. For example: we can measure the number of compliments we hear on the job each day, the frequency of do-overs (more than double the cost of work done right the first time), the number of new ideas we get in a given month for process improvement, the amount of time we spend helping others solve problems, etc. Everything we track causes us to notice more about it and to make better decisions related to it. 

Noticing More: The person who notices more see more options and possibilities, and that person has an edge over others. 

The more you notice, the more you know. 

The more you know the more options you see. 

The person with the most options usually prevails. 

Appealing Rewards: 

When we design an awards program or a recognition system it should be comprehensive and tailored. Comprehensive enough to utilize all of the available forms of recognition and reward, yet tailored to the unique interests, values and personality of the person being recognized. 

This requires some creativity and empathy. We must get to know each other better and we must think beyond the usual "box" of rewards. 

"But that's not what I was working for."

John may be very motivated by a trip to Hawaii and Janelle might find it unappealing. She, however, might respond well to a scholarship for advanced learning while Jason might not. Some people love plaques and certificates, some don't. Some get turned on by the offer of a bonus check while others respond better to a pat on the back and a sincere thank you. 

The system we design for motivation needs to incorporate all of the foregoing elements. 

This needn't be daunting. We can keep it simple and systematic so that nobody has to go back through intense training just to get this done. It is just a matter of making everything work together for the good of the Cause. 

Give me a call and let's see how your own Motivation System can be made more Intelligent.