We spend remarkable energy understanding market dynamics, optimizing processes, and perfecting strategy. We analyze data, refine systems, and pursue efficiency.
Yet we overlook something fundamental.
What excites you is unique. Nothing is necessarily better; it’s simply you. The foods you savor, the hobbies that pull you in, the sports you can’t help but follow. We recognize these preferences instantly in our personal lives.
But do we pay the same attention in our work lives?
Imagine being forced to watch wrestling when you love figure skating. Or vice versa. Sounds absurd, doesn’t it?
Yet we do this daily in our organizations.
We assign work without understanding what motivates people. We structure teams around function instead of fascination. We miss what’s hiding in plain sight – the simple reality that the people who are motivated are those doing work that excites them.
As a leader, take the time to understand what excites your team. Not just what they’re capable of doing, but what they’re energized by doing.
If you want a motivated team, it may be the simplest thing you can do.
And perhaps the most overlooked.
