Motivators Course

MOTIVATORS

An Introductory course - The hidden reasons for your actions.

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Copyright 2009: The Coach Academy www.TheCoachAcademy.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page # Introduction ............................................................................................................ 3 Lesson 1 .................................................................................................................. 5 Lesson 2 .................................................................................................................. 7 Lesson 3 .................................................................................................................. 9 Lesson 4 ................................................................................................................. 11 Lesson 5 ................................................................................................................. 13 Lesson 6 ................................................................................................................. 15 Lesson 7 ................................................................................................................. 16 Lesson 8 ................................................................................................................. 18 Special Offer ........................................................................................................... 19

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INTRODUCTION

Understanding Personal Motivators

Behind all of our actions there are a few key reasons we do what we do. These motivators are

what we are seeking to discover and what this minicourse is all about. So, what makes you go

to work every morning? Why do you make the choices that you make? Is there an underlying

reason for all the decisions that you make? That answer is unmistakably yes.

Let's be clear, motivation is not getting others or getting yourself to do things that you don't

want to do. Motivators are the key reasons why we act, think, and do both desirable and

undesirable tasks. These motivators do change throughout our life. Motivators are our

windows to the world. We see things in our world that can be directly connected to our

primary motivators and we do not see things in our world that are aligned with minor

motivators. That is why two people can see the same situation in totally different ways.

What window are you looking out of today? Just as important, what are you not seeing by

looking out other windows? Here is a practical example. Go to the

front of your apartment or house and describe the view. Now do the

same from a rear window. Notice how the views are totally different.

As we move forward in our discussion of motivators, think of them as

different windows in the same building. You are a collection of all of

your motivators. However, you will favor one or two and spend most of

your time viewing your life from that window.

Once you understand your view of the world through your specific

motivators you will start to understand why your thoughts, actions and core beliefs are

different from that of other people.

Studies dating back to the 1920s have identified six major motivators in each of our lives. These

six motivators are:

theoretical

aesthetic

utilitarian

individualistic

doctrinal

societal

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Motivators are neutral. There are no good motivators or bad motivators. Our motivators may

just be different than those of other people around us. Being aware of our different motivators

can make us much more effective in relationships and communications with others.

Understanding each of our unique motivators can greatly reduce conflict and arguments.

As we discuss these six motivators in detail you will come to understand that they shape our

personality. They determine how we confront problems, how we relate to other people, why

do we choose to attend or not attend events, and can have a major impact on the success of

our careers.

Self-awareness, i.e., understanding our strengths and weaknesses and internal motivators, has

been proven to be the major and only predictable indicator of ultimate success.

Good luck on your quest to be more self-aware and to discover your internal motivators.

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LESSON 1

Understanding your personal motivators

One of the biggest advantages of understanding your personal motivators and the motivators

of others is that it allows us to understand what creates excitement and what does not. In

other words, once we know a person's motivators we will know what turns a person on and

what turns a person off. The work place is the best environment to see this in action. Many

times managers will initiate a new strategy that drives some to high achievement while totally

demoralizing others in the workplace. Why is that? Very simply, the manager has unwittingly

discovered some people’s primary motivators and also some people’s primary demotivators.

Dr. Abraham Maslow identified the hierarchy of needs. He illustrated this hierarchy as a

triangle or pyramid. At the very base or foundation were the basic needs of survival: food,

clothing and shelter. Next up on his list was the need for safety. Humans will do whatever they

need to do to satisfy these basic core needs. Above these basic needs in Maslow's triangle is

where our internal motivators kick in.

Once our basic needs of safety and security are fulfilled, then our desires and needs for

happiness take over. These desires and needs are represented by our internal motivators. As

mentioned before, there are six major motivators. We are a combination of all six. It is this

blending of the six motivators that helps to determine our personality and drive. Just as each of

us has a favorite color, we also have a favorite motivator. Our favorite motivator is no more

Motivators start

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right or wrong than our favorite color. While I prefer blue, you may prefer red. A color

preference should not cause a conflict between us and neither should a motivational

preference.

Long-term studies have determined that two of our six motivators will be the primary reasons

for our decisions. The middle two motivators in our hierarchy act mainly as tiebreakers if our

primary motivators are in conflict. The bottom two of the six actually can be demotivators. Our

motivational hierarchy largely determines what we do in life and why. It is the reason why

some people will live a life of service to others while someone else seeks fame and fortune.

Some of you would admire the first type of person and others the second type. That simply

illustrates that your motivational hierarchy is more closely aligned with one or the other.

Now that we understand that our motivational hierarchy is the how and why of what we do, we

will start to study and better understand the six major motivators.

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LESSON 2

My motivational hierarchy - how to know what drives me and excites me

It is your unique motivational hierarchy that determines what you do and why you do it. How

do you determine this hierarchy? One way is to study the six major motivators and determine

which ones best represent you. The opinion of others is actually more revealing than your own

feelings, so it can be helpful to get outside opinions. The most accurate way, however, is to use

a professional motivational assessment. No matter which you choose to use, the fact that you

are studying motivational hierarchies will be a major benefit to you.

I know we've said this before but this is critical for you to understand. Motivators are neutral.

There are no good motivators or bad motivators. Your motivators are not better or worse than

others; they are just different.

As we work through the six primary motivators they will be presented in no particular order.

We will provide you with examples of their likes and dislikes, their traits, and the types of tasks

you would observe them doing. Now to the first primary motivator.

The theoretical – the quest for knowledge.

The people with this motivator seek knowledge and data; they focus on reality. They are not

interested in opinions; they are interested in facts. They tend to be very logical and use critical

thinking to solve life's problems.

A person with this primary motivator would tend to enjoy bookstores, libraries, and

documentary style programs. Their preferred TV channels

would likely be public broadcasting, the Discovery Channel

or the History Channel. They would also tend to prefer

objects and projects to people. You probably know of

someone who became a professional student, someone who

spent many years changing his/her major area of study and

never graduated. This type of person is exhibiting classic

theoretical traits; seeking knowledge simply for the sake of

knowledge.

You would find these people involved in the research,

mathematics, physics, engineering, and other professions dealing largely with facts. Many of

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these types of individuals have difficulty understanding the emotional component of problems.

Others may observe these types of people as detached and living within themselves.

A person with a high theoretical hierarchy would tend to support all things educational. They

would be impressed and see value in advanced degrees and advanced study. These types of

people are usually the drivers behind major technological or scientific improvements. Albert

Einstein would be a classic example of an individual with a high theoretical or conceptual

hierarchy.

High theoreticals must realize that their zeal for education, facts, and study may not be shared

by others. For example, a parent that has a high theoretical hierarchy may tend to force their

child into studies that do not match the child's hierarchy. Using data, statistics, and logic to

present a position or win an argument will not resonate with a large percentage of other

people but will work well with a theoretical. In contrast, a person with a low theoretical

hierarchy would rely on gut instinct and emotions to make decisions. This would be a classic

example of why your motivational hierarchy must be understood and why you must

understand the hierarchy of others.

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LESSON 3

Understanding the utilitarian style – return on investment

While the last motivator we studied, the theoretical, valued knowledge, learning, thinking,

reasoning and details, a person with a utilitarian motivator appreciates usefulness, practicality,

and return on their investment.

A utilitarian always views life from

the perspective of what they receive

for the effort or investment they

make. That is not to say that

someone with a utilitarian motivator

will be focused on money. They will

simply focus on getting something

satisfying for their effort. Money

and wealth may be one of those

satisfiers. The satisfier could just as

easily be friendship, an enjoyable

experience, a sense of

accomplishment, or reaching the corner office.

They tend to have a bottom-line expectation of results and are interested in some type of gain.

Some examples of people with a high utilitarian hierarchy would be Sam Walton, the founder of

Wal-Mart, and Donald Trump. While both these individuals achieved fame and fortune, their

satisfiers appear to be somewhat different. Sam Walton would often be seen driving his old

pickup truck to important meetings. To him, the satisfier was getting maximum use and

longevity from his vehicle.

Donald Trump, however, is usually seen arriving at meetings in a chauffeur-driven limousine.

To him, the satisfier was the status and the ability to spend the travel time working rather than

driving. Both of these individuals achieved the maximum amount of return or satisfaction from

the mode of transportation they used. Both achieved very high levels of financial success but

exhibited different satisfiers. When it comes to money a high utilitarian may exhibit

dramatically different satisfiers. One may choose to spend and collect objects or investments.

The other may choose to save and build a large portfolio.

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A high utilitarian will most likely value time highly. That means they are likely to be bottom line

oriented and more inclined to be interested in summaries rather than detailed descriptions.

Some favorite mottos of utilitarians would be:

Waste not, want not

A penny saved is a penny earned

A stitch in time, saves nine

Procrastination is the thief of time

Time is money

Someone with a low utilitarian hierarchy would most likely not value time, money, or seeking a

return on their efforts. Saving up money or saving time simply does not compute to people

with low utilitarian hierarchies.

Hopefully you are beginning to see the benefits of viewing motivators as windows. Looking out

the utilitarian window, one would see gain, money, time, and return on investment as

predominant features of the landscape. They would be quickly recognized and highly valued.

Someone looking out a different window, someone with a different motivator may not

recognize or value those traits in the same way. This is why a thorough understanding of your

motivator and the motivators of others is critically important for your long-term success.

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LESSON 4

The individualistic motivator -- seeking power and recognition

Someone with a high individualistic hierarchy is generally very competitive and they love to

win. The satisfier is power, recognition, authority, and being the best or brightest. They are

generally drawn to leadership positions because of these needs. The mantra of the high

individualistic person is achievement.

Words that resonate with a high individualistic

would be control, influence, status,

leadership, individualism, uniqueness, and a

legacy. The crowning achievement for this

type of individual would be to have their

name memorialized by having a building,

street, ship, or city named after them. This

type of individual would favorably respond to

any form of formal recognition. Give them a

trophy, a plaque, or put their name on the front page of the local newspaper, and they will be

your friend forever.

People with other motivational hierarchies will most likely see this type of person as egotistical,

controlling, and self-focused. Movie stars, politicians, sports superstars, captains of industry,

and civic leaders often have a high individualistic motivator.

People with high individualistic hierarchies are often the drivers behind great accomplishments

and recoveries. A great example would be the former mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani.

Even though his term of office had expired Mr. Giuliani continued to spearhead the recovery

efforts after the terrorist attacks on September 11. Without his leadership and drive the

recovery efforts may have taken a much longer period of time.

You should be beginning to understand how all the different motivational hierarchies work

together for the greater good and for a fully functional society. Those of us that are not looking

out of the individualistic window may find their actions distasteful or self-serving but clearly

their leadership is needed. As with any motivator, over-reliance or overuse can isolate you

from others in society. A classic example can often be seen in team sports. This is the

individual that has great talent but his need for personal recognition overshadows and

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diminishes his value to the team. We can cite many examples of the superstars who became

detriments to their team.

Now is a good time to review and reinforce the fact that we are a blend of all of our motivators.

It is the combination of all of our motivators that create our personality and function in society.

When this blend becomes skewed or when one motivator becomes totally dominant is when

you can become an outcast.

To analyze your actions, you must first determine what your primary motivator is. However,

the secondary motivator as well as the other four will have an impact on our choices, our

behavior, and our personality. A much more detailed study of motivators would be required to

understand how the motivators interact.

So far we have reviewed the theoretical motivator -- the search for knowledge; the utilitarian

motivator -- the need for return on investment and gain; and now the individualistic motivator -

- the need for power, authority and recognition. Let’s now look at the remaining three

Motivators: the aesthetic, the social, and the doctrinal.

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LESSON 5

The aesthetic motivator -- the need for form and beauty

People with high aesthetic hierarchy appreciate and need visual form and beauty. They

appreciate color, balance, beauty, form, and symmetry. Some assessment products refer to

this motivator as artistic but there is much more to it than the appreciation of art. Aesthetics

will experience great pleasure in picturesque or scenic environments. For them beauty exists

simply to be beautiful and to be enjoyed.

While beauty is usually considered a visual component, this type of individual also appreciates

the form and harmony of any type. Great music, a perfect business plan, a famous painting,

and abstract sculpture could all be satisfiers

of a high aesthetic person. In fact, any form

of sensory stimulation could be a driver for

this person. This type of person also

demonstrates a heightened emotional

connection to their environments.

Words and conditions that could describe or

appeal to an aesthetic person would be:

color, form, symmetry, beauty, balance,

visual and emotional awareness, harmony in

all aspects of life, and any sensory experience. One may be attracted to the smells and tastes of

a great meal, others to a great symphony or classic rock and roll, and still others to great

architecture.

Martha Stewart would be an example of a high aesthetic individual. She loves cooking in a

perfectly organized kitchen with great music playing in the background. Then she serves the

meal when the finest china on a perfectly decorated table in a magnificent room. Her TV show

and her magazines all tie high sensory experiences together in one event.

Harmony in all things is the mantra of this type. That includes human relationships. This type

of individual would seek to have the perfect relationship with others. Other types would view

these people as having a utopian view of the world. Any argument, conflict, problem, illness, or

irregularity would most likely cause stress in this type of individual.

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To draw a comparison to the other types we've already reviewed, a high aesthetic would want

a perfectly coordinated wardrobe with matching accessories. It would most likely also need to

be in the current most popular style. A utilitarian, on the other hand, would prefer durable,

long lasting clothing. The individualistic individual would want their clothing to show status and

to stand out. And finally the theoretical individual would probably not care about the wardrobe

at all.

One of the main reasons for this mini-course is to help you determine which motivators have a

primary impact on your life. We've drawn the analogy of looking out of different windows and

seeing and appreciating different things that we view from that window. The previous example

is a classic example of how individuals view clothing and their wardrobes.

In an earlier lesson I mentioned that that motivators and your motivational hierarchy do

change. In this clothing example the primary motivator may be determined by your

environment. In other words, someone may prefer a power suit at the office and be perfectly

comfortable in jeans and a T-shirt at home. However, our search is not for these transient

preferences or motivators but for the primary reasons we make the important decisions of our

lives.

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LESSON 6

The societal motivator -- for the greater good

The societal motivator is usually the most misunderstood of the six. Societal in this context

does not mean the need for human interaction. What it does mean is doing things for the good

of all society, or the greater good. An individual with a high societal hierarchy has the need to

give and to serve.

The perfect example of someone with a high societal motivator was Mother Teresa. Her

mission in life was to provide comfort and care to the poor and sick of her community. She did

this without expectation of financial reward. Her reward was the service itself.

Words that would define or appeal to a high societal individual would be contribute, sacrifice,

serve, care for, duty, and volunteer. The driving force for these types of individuals is simply to

contribute. Many times these people will sacrifice

their time, their money, and in extreme cases their

family for the greater good of mankind. They have a

great need and a perceived responsibility to give back.

You will find these individuals in hospitals, nursing

homes, soup kitchens, and other areas that serve

humanity as a whole. They wear the badge of sacrifice

with honor. They are very likely to embrace

environmental and animal rights issues.

The high societal individual plays an important role in our communities. They care for our sick,

protect the innocent, watch over the helpless, and promote causes for the greater good of

humanity.

These types of people while admired by many are often misunderstood. They are certainly not

being practical from the utilitarian view and they are not rising to power from the individualistic

viewpoint. In most situations there is not harmony or beauty as desired by the aesthetic. And

the theoretical probably does not see the reward in working with other individuals. So again

you can see how your motivational hierarchy can create conflicts and misunderstandings with

others.

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I'm sure you appreciate that the view from the societal window is dramatically different from

that of others with different motivational hierarchies. Again they are no worse or better than

any of the others -- just different.

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LESSON 7

The doctrinal motivator -- the need for rules

I saved the doctrinal motivator for last because it is one of the most difficult to understand and

explain. This type of individual has a need to live by a fixed set of rules and when these rules

are embraced there is great difficulty in seeing options and alternatives. At one time this

motivator was referred to the religious motivator. However, the motivator expands well

beyond that of just religion.

Religion is still one of the best examples we can use to explain this motivator. Each of the

world's great religions has their sacred texts and specific rules to live by. Chances are if you

were born a Jew you have great difficulty in accepting the beliefs of Christians or Muslims. If

you were born a Muslim you will most

likely be a Muslim all your life. The

same holds true for Christianity.

Those that tend to live their life with a

high doctrinal hierarchy will generally

see events as right or wrong, black or

white. The reason for this is that within

most doctrinal beliefs is a sub-doctrine

or set of rules stating that only this set

of beliefs is valid. So in our example of

the world's great religions, a Christian

accepts and embraces a doctrine that

states only their beliefs are correct. The

same is true for Muslims and Jews. This

is at the very heart of the age-old

conflicts among religions.

While religion is a great example there are other examples as well. In the United States the two

political parties, the Republicans and the Democrats, are doctrinal in nature. President Ronald

Reagan held firm to his doctrinal beliefs of a free economy and supply side economics. It was

those beliefs that drove him to negotiate the dismantling of the Berlin wall. Another example

of an individual with high doctrinal beliefs is Osama bin Laden, the orchestrator of the terrorist

attacks on the United States. Both Reagan and bin Laden held firm to the belief that they were

correct and needed to take action. Many of you are wondering how I can mention Reagan and

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bin Laden in the same example? That, in itself, says something of your doctrinal beliefs. Very

simply, both individuals were willing to go to any extreme to promote the rules in which they

believed.

Words that define or resonate with someone with high doctrinal hierarchies would be rules,

laws, tradition, customs, convictions, conversion, and passion. The mantra for a high doctrinal

individual is – “Defend the truth!” Doctrinal beliefs show up in the oddest places: Pepsi or

Coke, Yankees or Red Sox, Steelers or Browns, paper or plastic, PC or Apple, pro-life or pro-

choice, and Chevy or Ford. All have at their core a strong belief that one is right and the other

wrong.

Doctrinal beliefs are centered in tradition, customs, and personal convictions. They will live by

a code, a set of rules, a set of principles or standards. If you have a high doctrinal hierarchy or

are dealing with someone that does you must realize you are entering a world of black or

white. You will not win an argument or change the views of an individual with a high doctrinal

motivator.

Perhaps now you understand while this motivator was left for last. For a high doctrinal

individual there is only one window. Other windows are to be closed off and disregarded

because the view from them is false. Keep in mind the theme that I have continued to

reinforce throughout these discussions; there are no good or bad motivators. A doctrinal

motivator is not bad, it is not good; it just is.

So how do you know if you have a high doctrinal hierarchy? Ask yourself this question, "Am I

willing to consider the beliefs and traditions of others when making decisions?" In many cases

you find your answer is totally dependent on the subject being considered. Many times you will

find your decision is largely based on secondary motivators or your primary demotivators.

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LESSON 8 – FOR CONSULTANTS AND COACHES

Why should you use TCA’s Motivators Assessment?

Coaches and consultants use the TCA Motivators Assessment for both individual clients and

organizations. Some of the ways in which coaches/consultants use the Motivators assessment

are:

Provides unbiased, scientifically validated assessment of key motivational factors for

clients (individuals as well as groups)

Understanding where an individual’s core values may be in conflict with their job or with

company

Help the individual who is making a career transition to find the right “next step”

Understand what positively or negatively motivate each person

Increase individual performance and productivity

Develop incentive plans that truly motivate the individual

Screen employment candidates to find “right” person for the job

When Do You Use Motivators?

At the beginning of the engagement, to develop deeper understanding of client

When client company is experiencing too much turnover

When client company’s Employees aren’t motivated

When performance standards aren’t being met in client company

When client company is getting ready to hire one or more new people

When individual client is not happy or fulfilled

What Motivators Will Tell You

It identifies the two strongest motivators, the two weakest motivators and the two

situational motivators in each of us.

The two highest scoring Motivators will be the things the person is most passionate

about; satisfying those Motivators will inspire the person to take action.

The two intermediate scoring Motivators will be used by the individual situationally, and

may cause them to either move towards or away from something.

The two lowest scoring Motivators reflect things that the person has no passion for, no

real interest in. These may cause a person to move away from action.

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SPECIAL OFFER

Now that you have completed the mini-course you may be interested in experiencing The

Coach Academy’s Motivators Assessment for yourself. The normal price of an assessment is

$75.00, but you can get one at the special price on only $25.00.

To take advantage of the offer go to this link and be sure to enter your personal authorization

code in the promotion box.

CLICK HERE FOR ASSESSMENT

Your Personal Authorization Code for $50.00 off an introductory assessment is:

1046751fmc-TCA

Enter that code in the assessment to get the special price.

For information on more advanced training and certification programs email:

[email protected]

https://cmtmentors.wufoo.com/forms/tca-motivators-special/

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Motivators Course