How Motivation Really Works (And Why We keep GettinG It Wrong)
What motivates you?
Big question, I know.
Motivation typically shows up in two forms: intrinsic and extrinsic.
Intrinsic motivators come from within. They’re the “I want to” kind of actions—no one’s twisting your arm. Maybe you notice your workforce feels disconnected, so you take it upon yourself to explore an employee app. No one asked. You just care.
Extrinsic motivators are the “you have to” kind. Like when your boss ties the open rate of the weekly newsletter to your performance review. You act—not because you’re inspired, but because you’d like that merit increase, thank you very much.
Here’s the kicker: there’s often a mismatch between what science knows and what organizations do about motivation.
In a 2009 TED Talk, author Daniel Pink dropped this gem:
Traditional rewards don't work when the task calls for cognitive skill.ad, he pointed to three key drivers of real motivation:
Instead, he pointed to three key drivers of real motivation:
Autonomy – The urge to direct our own lives
Mastery – The desire to get better at something that matters
Purpose – The yearning to contribute to something bigger than ourselves
A few jobs ago, I was making the highest salary of my career (at the time) and barely breaking a sweat. Sounds dreamy, right? Wrong. My motivation—and happiness—were at rock bottom.
It wasn’t about the money. It was the lack of autonomy. I could manage my schedule, sure, but any attempt to go beyond the minimum was met with resistance. One colleague even said,
“Emily, our supervisor doesn't want you to do anything that will make him work.” Charming.
Mastery? Out the window. I was working well below my ability with zero growth opportunities.
Purpose? I had it, but no way to pursue it internally.
So I redirected that energy. I started building what would become my internal communication coaching and consulting practice—outside the walls of that organization. Somewhere I could make a real impact and evolve.
Too often, employees are expected to self-motivate in environments that don’t support their growth. Is that fair? Not even a little bit.
Great leadership understands what truly drives people. Unfortunately, most supervisors aren’t trained in motivation science. So the default becomes:
“Give them money.”
“Throw a pizza party.”
Cue eye roll. (And Daniel Pink’s silent scream.)
As a team of one, motivation gets even trickier. You’re the only one leading your function. If you’re not invested in the work, it doesn’t happen.
So the next time someone suggests motivation is just about grit—or goodwill—you’ll know better.
People don’t need perks. They need purpose.
