I use a motivational assessment in my coaching. It helps me get to know my clients better and we use it to discuss their developmental journey by considering which changes will be easier and which ones will be more challenging. And, while we cannot change what motivates a person (motivation is based on the collection of experiences throughout our lives), we can still discuss how to shift things in their life to better align with their emotional preferences.
Motivational considerations add so much to my coaching that I would find it quite challenging to coach without them. But what does motivation mean in a more general sense and what does it really tell us about a person? Motivation is a measure of what satisfies someone. People feel an internal pull toward the things that satisfy them emotionally and push away from the things that dissatisfy them. We recently conducted a study to explore what this looks like in the real world. What does motivation mean in terms of what people do and don’t do?
We used a global sample of over 6,000 participants who completed Personal Directions, an MRG assessment used by coaches working with leaders at all points of their careers. This assessment includes the Individual Directions Inventory (IDI), which measures 17 motivational dimensions, each reflecting the degree to which someone gains emotional satisfaction from specific areas of their lives (both work and personal). They also completed the Appraise Your World questionnaire, which measures the areas in which people are expending energy.
We all have a limited amount of emotional energy, and we make choices about where we spend it. This study asked whether motivation influences where people expend their energy. Turns out, it does. When comparing the top 15% most motivated by a particular IDI dimension to the bottom 15% on the same dimension, we found that there was a difference in the activities they engaged in. Here a sampling of the results:
- When compared to those who are least motivated by it, individuals who are highly motivated by Giving (providing comfort and support) spend more time and energy helping their communities, experiencing emotions, developing their spiritual resources, and seeking social interaction. They spend less time and energy managing their wealth, working on their physical fitness, and focusing on their careers.
- When compared to those who are least motivated by it, individuals who are highly motivated by Excelling (achieving at the highest level) spend more time focusing on their careers, pursuing intellectual stimulation, and managing their wealth. They spend less time creating comfort in their homes, experiencing their emotions, and in romantic activities.
The results above show that people have a degree of choice when expending energy and they tend to select activities that align with their motivational profile. When our clients are able to use their energy in a way that aligns with their motivation, they maintain a higher level of emotional energy and satisfaction – which explains why they tend to make those choices. If providing support satisfies them, then they will be energized when they get to help those in need. The inverse side of this is that they may have less emotional energy for activities involving their personal finances. Engaging in those activities may be draining, but still important. Knowing what motivates our clients can help us have a conversation about getting through the more dissatisfying and draining parts of their work. They can reframe the work to align with the areas they enjoy. For example, finances can be thought of as a way to have more resources to help others. They can prepare for the emotional drain and not be surprised when they are going through it. There are ways to work around someone’s motivational preferences, but self-awareness and open conversation are essential.
The comparisons above considered the two ends of the spectrum: the top and bottom 15% of individuals motivated by a particular dimension. There are individuals in the middle of the range whose tendencies are less marked and whose attraction to those activities may be weaker or more context dependent. However, when motivation is strong in either direction, there is a tendency to engage in or shy away from specific types of activities and there are consequences to those actions. You can learn more about the implications of high and low scores on motivational dimensions here.
