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Category: Four Drive Theory Page 4 of 5

If you are looking for a little fun today read on as it may just help you get unstuck and moving forward!

Think back to a time, and it may even be right now, that you were in a slump, no desire to do a whole lot and not quite sure what will get you going again. It is times like these where looking at the situation from a different perspective can help you get unstuck and moving forward even if it is just baby steps of progress.

The Four Drive Model is our perspective shifter today and yes that is a very technical term. When you are stuck, which of the four drives below is the one that can pull you out of the muck and get you going again? (This is a self assessment and by no means scientific but it will help shift your perspective and harness one of the drives to pull you out of the muck.)

Are you driven by the ability to Acquire & Achieve?

You are jazzed by setting and reaching your goals, receiving recognition for a job well done, and/or receiving an incentive for completing and reaching a goal.

Are you driven by the ability to Bond & Belong?

You enjoy and are energized by other people, collaborating on a project, feeding off the thoughts and ideas of others help you in completing your tasks.

Are you driven by the ability to Comprehend & Challenge?

You thrive off of a challenge and learning something new and if it is in service of the greater good even better!

Are you driven by the ability to Define & Defend?

You protect your beliefs and your work and enjoy a healthy debate that helps define your work in a new manner.

Have you chosen the drive that will help you get unstuck? If not, go back and read through the descriptions again and go with your gut, which one makes you smile and internally say, “Yes that is it!”

The ability to see a situation from a different perspective combined with a motivating drive can be the start of getting you out of the muck.

Susan

If you know someone that might benefit from this article pay it forward and pass it along.

Employee Engagement e-book

On January 25, 2010

In Employee Motivation, Four Drive Theory, Uncategorized

The employee engagement network has produced another e-book that uses contributors sentences to create a wonderful mix of advice for managers (or anyone) looking to increase employee engagement. My line in the book, “Employee Engagement requires looking holistically at an employees work life and ensuring that they have an opportunity to fulfill the four main drives that motivate: the drive to Acquire & Achieve, the drive to Bond & Belong, the drive to be Challenged & Comprehend, and the drive to Define & Defend.” Read all the other advice here http://employeeengagement.ning.com/

The Four Drive Model, Blind Management, and Putt-Putt Golf – All in a Days Work

On November 19, 2009

In Employee Motivation, Four Drive Theory, Teambuilding, Uncategorized

Yesterday, Kurt and I, (along with our good friend John Hall) facilitated two experiential teambuilding events, Blind Management and Build Your Own Course with 50 enthusiastic participants. It was wonderful to watch the different motivational drives in action.

Here are some of the ways the motivational drives showed up:

Drive to Acquire & Achieve:

Teams worked together to not only acquire the perfect materials to create their own putt-putt course but they also wanted to achieve success by creating an innovative 3 hole course

Drive to Bond & Belong:

The teambuilding events allowed the participants to work with individuals they did not know very well in activities that were specifically designed to help create an experience that fostered bonding. By working together the individuals started to become a “team”. This is an incredibly important component that the participants can utilize back at the office – to utilize their new network of colleagues.

Drive to Comprehend & Challenge:

The activities provided unique Challenges where the participants had to work together to both understand the challenge and complete it successfully. For example, when creating a putt-putt course from scratch and with limited materials, the team needed to come together to answer questions that provided them points to purchase materials, design the ultimate course, build their hole, and then make sure the overall design worked.

Drive to Defend & Define:

The teams believed in their courses and many felt the urge to submit complaints and challenge the judges scoring results. They had Defined that their putt-putt design was better than everyone else’s and they were passionate about enrolling others to their cause.

If you have an upcoming teambuilding event I encourage you to see how the Four Motivational Drives show up amongst your teams.

What are the dominate Motivational Drivers?

We would love to hear from you, share your comments below.

Susan

3 tips to increase the Drive to Acquire & Achieve

On November 9, 2009

In Employee Motivation, Four Drive Theory, Incentive Plans and Sales Awards, Motivation, Uncategorized

The first drive in the Four Drive Model of Employee Motivation is the drive to Acquire & Achieve. This is typically the drive that most organizations focus on when they are trying to find a lever to influence employee motivation.

However, companies often get too caught up in the financial aspects of this drive (i.e., how much of a raise can we give, what is our targeted incentive/bonus payout, etc…).

The following are three quick tips to help you think about how to impact this drive and increase employee motivation.

1. It’s not just about the money. It is so much more…This drive also includes the drive to achieve. Achievement takes on a number of different forms. Think about this in terms of grades – there is no monetary component to this, yet we are driven to try to get an A. In organizations, recognition is a very powerful motivator because it recognizes individuals or group achievement (kind of like a report card). Organizations can tap into the drive to achieve by focusing on ensuring that recognition is done correctly (e.g., timely, relevant, and appropriate to the effort/result).

Achievement is also about setting realistic goals that can be achieved. Short-term milestones are elements to use to help keep this drive up. One way to think about this is to think about the need to reinforce achievement on at minimum every 5 weeks. If you don’t have a milestones set up that fall within that time frame, you will tend to lose people. Make sure that you celebrate those milestones as well. One thing that we are trying to get better at The Lantern Group is celebrating when a project or milestone is done. We get so caught up in the next project or next event that we don’t take the time to stop and congratulate ourselves on a job well done.

2. Add Some Perks. While we tend to focus on the big items like pay and bonuses with this drive, some of the more powerful levers that we get to pull are smaller “perks” such as office space, titles, parking spots, flexibility to work from home and other things that help satisfy the Achieve drive.

In addition, there are a number of small perks that also tie into the Acquire side of the equation, such as pizza Fridays, movie days, lunch seminars, discounts on classes, days off, foosball or pool in the office, employee of the month/quarter/year… You will notice that a number of these also contribute to the other three drives of Bond & Belong, Challenge & Comprehend, and Define & Defendsee also Four Drive Model

3. Improve your Total Rewards Communication. Too many times we’ve worked with companies that offer fantastic total rewards – not just their base salary, but their benefits, bonus programs, culture and recognition opportunities; however, no one at the company knows about these programs! This is because they are outlined in a legal terms in a five different 50 page HR documents. It is vital that you market what you are providing to people in a way that will capture their attention and convey the big picture.That means that you have to overcome silos within the organization and market your Total Rewards as a comprehensive program that highlights the offerings from across the organization.

Also, make sure that your Total Reward communications are not just a one-time effort at the beginning of the year, but instead a campaign that highlights various aspects of your offering throughout the year and keeps people engaged and charged up.

While the concept behind these ideas is simple, the implementation of them isn’t always as easy. If you need help, please give us a call. We can help you work through the issues and improve your employee’s motivation!

Kurt

Stefana Broadbent and The Drive to Bond and Belong

On November 3, 2009

In Employee Motivation, Four Drive Theory, Uncategorized

I came across a very interesting video the other day from Stefana Broadbent taped at the TED conference at Oxford, England (July 2009).

I was interested because it relates to the Drive of Bonding and Belonging and how technology plays a big part in establishing and maintaining relationships.

Watch the video and see what nuggets of information you can gleam from Stefana’s observation about our need to Bond and Belong with other human beings. The separation between our public and private lives is a pretty thin veil. The Drive to Bond or Belong is one that many companies still try and control through access to the internet, social media tools, and separation of work areas. The more a company tries to control this drive the more the people will fight against it and find a way to connect.

Why not embrace technology and use it for good vs. control?

Let us know what you think about Stefana’s talk, we would love to hear from you.

Susan

Vikings vs. Packers: Favre and the Four Drive Model

On October 5, 2009

In Employee Motivation, Four Drive Theory, Uncategorized

Vikings vs. Packers: Favre and the Four Drive Model

I am a resident of Minnesota and have grown up a fan of the Minnesota Vikings. I am not diehard fan but I do appreciate the game of football and enjoy watching a good competitive game.

Tonight is a big night in Monday Night Football, as the Minnesota Vikings face off against their rival the Green Bay Packers. At the heart of tonight’s story is Brett Favre. Most of you know who he is, but if you are not a football fan he used to be the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers for many, many years (and had a guest appearance in “Something About Mary”). The border battle rivalry and the Favre factor have all the makings of a historic game.

Motivation is written all over this story in the hearts of the players, the fans, and the advertisers it seems everyone has a motive for wanting to be a part of this epic battle.

The Four Drive categories are clearly present in this competitive football match up. I thought it would be interesting to try to quickly categorize Brett’s motivational profile.

Here is how the Four Drive Motivational Scorecard shapes up for Brett Favre:

Acquire & Achieve: Winning! Brett has never won against the Green Bay Packers. A win tonight would be a great achievement!

This drive is also a bit of a mystery for Brett as he turned down a $20 million dollar retirement plan two years ago from Green Bay for not playing – obviously the Acquire (money) component drive isn’t primary. The need for winning however is key.

Drive Level: Average/High Drive

Bond & Belong: Brett has been a part of the Minnesota Vikings for less than 3 months. He was with the Green Bay Packers for 16 seasons. This is a tough component for professional sports figures as they tend to move around a lot. The experience of tonight’s game will help Bond him to the Minnesota Vikings and bring a sense of Belonging to the team and the fans.

Drive Level: Low Drive

Challenge & Comprehend: Tonight’s matchup is a challenge for Brett. Anytime the Vikings play the Packers it is a challenge that conjures up the best-of- the-best of the players’ skills and talents. Preparing, practicing, and understanding the upcoming match are a part of the challenge. Getting the adrenaline drive from the competition must have a significant factor for Brett.

Drive Level: High Drive

Defend & Define: Brett is out to Defend his character as an iconic quarterback who can still deliver the win. This game will help Define his new legacy as a quarterback with the Minnesota Vikings.

Drive Level: Average Drive

Regardless of the outcome of tonight’s game the motivational drivers are ever present. If you watch the game tonight fill out your own Four Drive Motivational Scorecard and see how it matches up against Brett’s.

Enjoy the game!

Susan

Managing and Motivating Employees in the New Economy

On October 1, 2009

In Employee Motivation, Four Drive Theory, Uncategorized

Each person on the planet has their own unique ideas, interests, talents, skills, and motivators. Even twins who share similar DNA have different opinions, interests, and motivators. So if we understand this, why do so many organizations have one set of motivators to try and change the behavior of the masses?

Does anyone else see anything wrong with this picture?

Our society is moving toward more and more customization. Have you noticed the increase in choices you have every day, from customizing your morning mocha to creating your own webpage. So why is it that many organizations continue to do things the old way? You might hear the old adages: “change is hard, we do not have the budget for such customization this year, (insert your own phrase here), etc.” Motivation is not just paying people more or offering them more perks and bonuses. Has anyone seen or taken an MBA course on how to motivate your employees that entails more than reviewing Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs? I believe that managers in this new economy and beyond need a different set of skills in order to harness the potential of knowledge workers.

Most managers understand that part of their job is to motivate and engage their employees. Some of the typical avenues might be: one on one status meetings, periodic outings for lunch or coffee, or maybe sitting in on project meetings to see how things are going. These three instances are an example that there is ample opportunity and time to customize an employee’s motivation. So why does it not happen on a regular basis?

When customizing an employee’s motivation a manager needs to be skilled at understanding the employee’s four drives; Acquire and Achieve, Bond and Belong, Challenge and Comprehend, and Defend and Define. Once they understand their employee’s individual four drives the next step is to discover what the employee is not saying about what motivates and drives them. Many times when you ask someone, “What Motivates You?” they will probably give you an answer fairly quickly – but by digging and reflecting a little bit deeper into their answer you may discover something else entirely. There is more to motivating employees than just utilizing one model and tools.

The four drive model is a good start but a manager also needs to understand reflective questioning techniques, asking open ended questions, utilizing gap analysis, and paying attention to body language, etc. Managers need to customize their motivational methods based on these insights.

For instance, Employee A really likes to be seen as an expert – so provide opportunities for that person to shine and be recognized as the expert (i.e., lead a brown bag lunch, ask them to help present at a Senior Leadership meeting about something they know well). Employee B wants to feel part of a close knit group so create avenues for that to happen (i.e., hold small team lunches with two or three people, set up small work teams to address some particular issue). Employee C has the drive to Acquire so the manager must focus that person on what they can do to earn more (i.e., review the incentive or recognition program with them, work with them on what they need to do to get a raise). The important part is to understand how each person is motivated and to tap into that motivation. This isn’t easy.

As I stated in the beginning of this post, every person on the planet is unique. Managers have an incredible opportunity to develop and grow their employees but it will take adopting and learning some new skills and a genuine time commitment.

Employees are more than just their paycheck; they are each contributing their time, skills, knowledge, and talents to an organization. I believe they deserve our time and attention, what about you?

The Amazing Race and The Four Drive Model of Motivation

On September 28, 2009

In Employee Motivation, Four Drive Theory, Uncategorized

Last night I watched the new season of the television show The Amazing Race. I have been a fan of the show since the beginning and I enjoy watching the team dynamics as the show progresses from Day 1 to the finale. The overall concept is teams of 2 people travel around the world encountering challenges and roadblocks along the way. The end reward is $1,000,000 to the team that wins.

As I watched the different teams interact I noticed that the teams each year can be categorized into different groups. The same types of teams end-up being casted on the show. There are the athletes, newly engaged couple, related couple, oddballs, brainy, older, rocky relationship, etc. I am sure the casting is done primarily to mix up the groups so there is tension, good competition, and some laughter in between the madness of racing around the world.

The other thing I noticed is the Four Drive model of motivation working within the team dynamics.

Acquire and Achieve: Clearly the teams are competing to win a prize, a smacking $1,000,000. Not a small sum of money and one that kicks up the competitive gears when things tart getting tough. In addition, achieving the success of winning the Amazing Race has a sense of accomplishment and notoriety in and of itself. It is also interesting to watch the individual challenges and the faces of individuals after they are successful – one can actually see the sense of achievement being felt after completing a challenge well.

Bond and Belong: The teams of 2 people are inherently bonded as they have an established relationship prior to going on the show. The relationships are tested through the various challenges and obstacles met along the competition. Many of the contestants have chosen to go on the show to test their relationship to see if it will withstand the pressure of such a rigorous competition. Some make it through and are stronger because of the experience while others crash and burn without any sign of recovery. The other piece is the contestants have a sense of belonging to a group of people that have done the Amazing Race before them. It is a shared experience not only with their current competitors but with the ones that have competed before them. A small group of the world’s population and they share an experience that brings them together.

Challenge and Comprehend: The Amazing Race is set up to challenge the contestants mentally and physically. The various roadblocks along the way can be exhausting on top of the fact that they have just traveled half way around the world with little or no sleep. Each day the teams are faced with numerous challenges from the mundane (catching a bus) to the extreme (moving heavy mud around or herding ducks). This is pushing the mental and physical capabilities of the contestants at every corner. In addition, add in the piece of understanding the norms and behaviors of a different culture it is amazing that the contestants make it out of the airports.

Defend and Define: This drive comes out full force in a competition for $1,000,000. I have seen teams lie, cheat, and manipulate their way to the finish line while others have defined themselves in a different way. Some teams try and stick to their values of being nice, helping out other teams, and working with an alliance. The teams that take the nice route end-up having a few speed bumps along the way but in the end they learn a lot about what pushes them to their breaking point. How they define who they are as team and how they defend it is fun to watch.

I encourage you to work with the Four Drive model as you watch your favorite television shows and within your day-to-day work environment. You might be surprised to find some of the same ‘characters’ present in your workplace utilizing the four drives to motivate them to the finish line.

Susan

The Rise of Behavioral Economics

On September 24, 2009

In Four Drive Theory, Uncategorized

This is a very interesting video (albeit a little long) about the rise of behavioral economics and its impact on the economic and political world . I find this topic fascinating as it helps in understanding some motivational impacts and also the limit of some motivational theories (including the Four Drive Model). We can all learn from the insights here.

I want to state that while I agree with some of the comments I disagree wholeheartedly with some others. In particular, I tend to agree with the ideas brought up by Leigh Caldwell and Mike Savage, and pretty much dismiss the conclusions made by Emre Ozendoren. The idea that by nudging behavior in a way that is deemed more appropriate is in some way totalitarian is utterly preposterous. It is indeed, in my mind, dismissing the idea that we have choice. What Emre is missing is that we are already constantly nudged. The fact that changing the nudge to be something that is going to be more beneficial for society or for individuals is not invasive – it is just a different nudge than the one that is currently going on.

Also, I believe there is a little bit of sophistry going on when the presenters talk about the behavioral economists calling people “irrational.” The “irrational” component discussed by most behavioral economists does not propose that we are mad or a little cracked, but refers to the fact that we do not always behave in a classic economists’ rational manner. In other words, emotions come into play and we don’t always optimize our economic well being. The fact that some of the speakers in this are trying to position the behavioral economists viewpoint as stating people are mad is a little misleading.

All in all – this video raises some good thoughts and sheds some light, I believe, on the juncture of classic economics with the newer thoughts around behavioral economics. Watch and enjoy!

PS – sorry for the big words – I think the accents got me thinking in a very academic manner…

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The Four Drive Model and a Glass of Tuscan Wine: A Perfect Pairing

On September 17, 2009

In Employee Motivation, Four Drive Theory, Uncategorized

wine 3

I recently returned from a trip to Italy and I observed firsthand how motivation, passion, and work can intertwine to make something beautiful. I had the pleasure of staying at an Agriturismo or working farm in the Tuscany area. Two out of the three nights we stayed, we participated in a home cooked meal which included ingredients from the Agriturismo as well as other farms within a 50 miles radius. In addition, we enjoyed the wine that they produced and sold.

Throughout the evening we were able to sample a variety of different wines, some were currently on the market while others were deemed experiments. I enjoyed listening to the winemaker describe where the grapes were grown, what the climate was for a particular year and how it affected the grapes. But my favorite moment was when he shared one of his experiments with us and I commented that I really liked it. His face shown like the brightest light with his smile and he spun around and jumped up and down like a kid trying to dance an Irish jig. I thought to myself, wow, that is it, the physical manifestation of passion.

I thought this was a unique opportunity to look at how the four drive model was working within the Tuscan kitchen. The following is based on my experience and perceptions of witnessing a passionate winemaker share his love for a product that is clearly more to him than just a product, it is a part of him and everyone that had a hand in creating the wine. Below I utilized the four drives, Acquire and Achieve, Bond and Belong, Challenge and Comprehend, and Defend and Define to bring to life the motivational drives to produce a wine that has soul and strength.

Acquire and Achieve: The winemaker had an ambition to sell good quality wine that was a standout in the region. One of the ways of achieving this was to experiment and take chances in order to make that dream happen. Selling the wine allowed him to acquire the things he wanted, selling the best good quality wine, allowed him to achieve a sense of accomplishment and prestige.

Bond and Belong: The winemaker would tell us stories of the workers on the ‘farm’ aka winery and how they all worked together to produce this amazing product that he was so proud of sharing with us. I could tell by how he described the process and the grapes that it was a team effort. The relationships and camaraderie were as important for him in producing the wine as the grapes.

Challenge and Comprehend: Creating the perfect wine for the market is a constant challenge and learning process. When to harvest, which grapes to grow, how will the grapes interact, is a part of creating the right wine. How do you know when to play a hunch, with an idea for a different kind of wine? The winemaker loved finding out if his ‘hunch’ was right on his experiments during our dinners at the Agriturismo. He was learning and listening to his customers and then he will apply that knowledge to produce a great wine.

Defend and Define: The area the winemaker grew grapes in is the Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG a very proud and distinguished region for growing grapes. The importance of having the certification for the DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) means the grapes are produced in a specific region under defined quality standards. This is a great source of pride and being a part of a larger Vernaccia grape growing community is important to the quality of the product and to the pride of the winemaker, so defend the grape!

As I reflect on the dining experiences with our wonderful hosts I see how the four drive model of motivation was living and breathing in the Tuscan kitchen for our wonderful winemaker. It may seem like an odd place to find the four drive model but why not? When working with different models sometimes they are hard to bring to life from a concept to every day practicality. It is in working with them, applying them to situations that the model can come to life and show its power and strength. Just like a winemaker needs to tend to the grapes, the four drive model needs to be worked with to bring it to life and not just words on paper.

Susan Stone

Category: Four Drive Theory Page 4 of 5

Stuck in the Muck – Which of the Four Drives Motivates You the Most?

Employee Engagement e-book

The Four Drive Model, Blind Management, and Putt-Putt Golf – All in a Days Work

Drive to Acquire & Achieve:

3 tips to increase the Drive to Acquire & Achieve

Stefana Broadbent and The Drive to Bond and Belong

Let us know what you think about Stefana’s talk, we would love to hear from you.

Vikings vs. Packers: Favre and the Four Drive Model

Managing and Motivating Employees in the New Economy

The Amazing Race and The Four Drive Model of Motivation

The Rise of Behavioral Economics

The Four Drive Model and a Glass of Tuscan Wine: A Perfect Pairing

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