Full disclosure, this article talks about Motivators and Identities which are part of FindMojo’s Motivators Assessment. We find the best way to discover and understand your team’s motivational diversity is to use this assessment and team report application.
Creating an inclusive and equitable work environment has never been more important. Just look at how many companies are now dedicating specific resources and headcount to ensuring that workplaces create cultures of belonging. We think this is a good thing.
However, while most diversity, equity, and inclusion programs focus on a variety of factors that we can “see,” they often overlook a key element that is unseen—motivational diversity.
If you’re brand new to DEI in your organization and wondering where to get started, this is a simple and safe place. If you’ve been doing this a while, what follows is a nice compliment to what you’re already doing and provides a new dimension that is unique to most programs.
23 Motivators
Let’s look at a key dimension to assess motivational diversity—Motivators. Motivators are a unique set, or blend, of 23 internal and external drivers that we all possess. But the priority order varies considerably from person-to-person.
Assuming you knew the Motivators for each member of your team or organization, you could determine motivational diversity across these dimensions:
Synergies—which strong Motivators does your team share or have in common?
Uniqueness—which team members are the only ones who have a particularly strong Motivator that is not shared by anyone else?
Cautions—where do team members have Motivators that are far apart and what conflicts could it be causing?
5 Identities
In our research, we also found five clusters of workplace Motivators that we call Identities. These are archetypes and each of us will inevitably tend to have stronger associations with some of these types over the others.
Here’s a quick primer on these Identities:
Achievers—these folks are go-getters, often do well under pressure, enjoy rising to a challenge, and love to solve problems.
Builders—these individuals are ideal-oriented with a strong desire to be part of something bigger than themselves and to align with a greater purpose.
Caregivers—are people who prefer working with clients and bonding with teammates instead of working independently. They also think it’s important to be light-hearted and fun at work.
Reward Driven—Whether it is vying for money, marbles, gold stars, or simple bragging rights, these individuals tend to be highly competitive. Their determined natures can help them accomplish great things for their organizations.
Thinkers—tend to prefer autonomous work, want to be free to take risks, and like to follow their own interests now and then. They crave opportunities to explore and discover and make a big impact.
With this background, now think of your team. Wouldn’t it be great to know the motivational make-up? Do you have all five Identities present on your team or is there a dominant identity?
If you’re a manager and armed with this information, you can more easily answer these DEI-related questions:
- Do our workplace Motivators shape the way you view each other?
- Is our team environment motivating to some and demotivating to others?
- Could clashes between teammates be caused by misunderstood Motivators?
- Are there ways we can help everyone feel more equitable and included by understanding individual Motivators?
In Summary
Discovering each team member’s Motivators and Identities is only the start of creating a motivationally diverse work environment. Leaders and team members need to better understand the diverse make-up of motivational drivers of each team member. Doing so will lead to a more inclusive and equitable team or organizational environment.
