• Contact
  • My Account
  • Log In
  • 0Shopping Cart
thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World
  • About
  • Services
  • eLearning
  • Team
  • Blog
  • Clients
  • Books
  • Contact
  • Menu Menu

Build your skills! Take our eLearning courses on TITAN!

World-class eLearning courses with videos, exercises, downloads, and a certificate of completion. Get started today!

Structured Thought: Problem Solving
Structured Thought and Communication
Strategic Business Planning
Principles of Chart Design eLearning Course
Engagement Management
Deliberate Decision Making
Breakthrough Innovation
Everything is Negotiable
Leading through Change
Storytelling for Leaders
Storytelling for Salespeople
Building Leadership Resilience
Compelling Executive Presence
Coaching for Impact
Building Personal Resilience
Building Personal Resilience
Wide Banner SPS
Wide Banner STC
Wide Banner SBP
Wide Banner PCD
Wide Banner ENM
Wide Banner DDM
Wide Banner BTI
Wide Banner EIN
Wide Banner LTC
Wide Banner SFL
Wide Banner SFS
Wide Banner BLR
Wide Banner CEP
Wide Banner CFI
Wide Banner BPR
Wide Banner TMM
previous arrow
next arrow

7 Ways to Motivate Without Money

February 23, 2011/3 Comments/in Guest Blogger, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

Not the MoneyToday’s guest blogger is Dr. Todd Dewett. You can learn more about him at the end of the post. He covers the importance of non-monetary ways to motivate your people (and we’ve talked about it NOT being about the money in this prior post – CLICK HERE to read why Nelly is wrong). Here’s Dr. Dewett:

Money does not matter nearly as much as you think it does. At home or work, no amount of money replaces great relationships. Leaders generally like money more than the folks whom they lead. The fact that money motivates leaders more is not a bad thing per se. The problem is that leaders too often assume that money is a prime motivator for others.

Employees, of course, do like money and want to continue receiving their paychecks. Yet, when you go ask them what really makes them happy, they will say things like being appreciated, being in the loop, and having good relationships. Money is rarely near the top of the list.

If you want more bang for your buck, you actually have to stop spending so many bucks. There are many potentially useful monetary motivators that serve as a financial “thank you,” such as a day of paid vacation, tickets to a sporting event, gift certificates of any form, simple cash payouts, and more elaborate efforts such as gain sharing.

Gain sharing deserves special attention because it represents the best and the worst of the monetary approaches to motivation. Gain sharing involves measuring some aspect of performance over time. When a group or unit performs above some historical standard, that is a “gain,” and it is financially quantified and shared with the workers according to some agreed upon formula.

Unfortunately, this often leads to myopic views of the organization, employees questioning management decisions based on how it affects parameters in the formula, and in general, moves the employees’ focus from the work to the formula. If you overindulge in monetary approaches to motivation – whether it is gift certificates or gain sharing, the following ugly outcomes are likely:

– People begin to expect more monetary rewards. They never expect less, always more, always bigger.

– People feel left out. If someone does not receive a reward, even if they do not honestly deserve a reward, they often feel resentment.

– Your thinking becomes less productive. As a leader, you stop thinking about people and processes and begin instead thinking about new possible rewards that will motivate your employees.

– Employees stop thinking as much about the work.

The more financial motivators are present, the more they become the focus instead of the work. Monetary motivators are not improper. They simply cannot be your major approach to motivating others. If you do use them, make sure:

– The performance in question is amazing. The instance of performance being rewarded cannot be average or a little better than average. It must be spectacular.

– You provide a great public explanation. This helps others understand the nature of the rewarded performance, thereby setting expectations as to the level of performance required to be so honored.

– You provide the reward immediately. The time when the reward is viewed as most justified and when it is most understood by all observers is immediately following performance, not weeks or months later. Periodic, formal ceremonies can be nice, but do not lose your opportunity to motivate, “in the moment.”

Not only are non-monetary motivators free or cheap compared to financially-oriented rewards, but there are many more of them. Imagine the unlimited versions of these common examples:

1. Recognition for their work. A pat on the back, “job well done,” “congratulations,” “great work,” etc. Public or private, to an individual or group. Genuine positive comments are terribly useful. The two most important words in business are, “Thank you.”

2. Recognition concerning work efforts. This is a neglected tactic. Great outcomes only materialize once in a while. In the meantime, thanking people for their efforts is invaluable. Do not drown them in praise, but do not forget to recognize the efforts and the outcomes.

3. Non-financial benefits or perks. These refer to non- monetary (though not cost free) efforts to support quality work-life balance such as: flex-time, in-house valet services, or health club memberships.

4. Awards. Awards are a physical reminder of a particular achievement. Common awards involve certificates, plaques, or any number of other objects deemed to represent the achievement symbolically.

5. Celebratory ceremonies. Ceremonies are the actual events surrounding the delivery of awards. When creative and thoughtful, they can be as meaningful as the award itself.

6. Provide autonomy. One of the greatest rewards is to be treated like a capable professional. When provided with reasonable liberty at work, employees feel much stronger ownership over their work.

7. Connect to the outcomes. Give employees purpose while saying thank you: if they work to support a much larger process or some faraway final product or service, help them understand their contribution. Use pictures, videos, or share a customer “thank-you” letter with the entire group.

Finally, you must recognize that the problem is not finding ways to say thank you. The problem is that we usually recognize and reward people too much! Since we all recognize the importance of the basic notion of motivation, it is easy to over recognize. We send out emails touting others’ successes, we select the employee of the month, we have quarterly recognition ceremonies with food or gifts.

The profound rule we too often neglect is that all recognition and rewards should be provided contingent on performance. Not for showing up. Not for average performance either, but for providing clearly above average efforts and for achieving clearly above average outcomes.

Be creative and heartfelt but don’t reward mediocrity or you will get more of the same!

– Dr. Todd Dewett is the President of TVA Inc. and a Professor of Management at Wright State University. He regularly blogs about leadership at Just Dewett – Fuel for Leaders.

https://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.png 0 0 Mike Figliuolo https://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.png Mike Figliuolo2011-02-23 12:54:002013-11-10 17:29:397 Ways to Motivate Without Money
3 replies
  1. Rory Wohl
    Rory Wohl says:
    February 23, 2011 at 3:17 pm

    I once worked for a consulting company that gave out an "Employee of the Month" award.

    I knew the award had lost all meaning the month a very good friend of mine won it.

    The award didn't lost its meaning because it was given to my friend, but because the plaque read:

    Employe of the Month

    If you can't be bothered to spell it correctly, then I guess it doesn't mean much.

    Reply
  2. davidburkus
    davidburkus says:
    February 25, 2011 at 3:36 pm

    Great post Todd. Good to see you back in the blogging space.

    Reply
  3. pauldumo
    pauldumo says:
    April 2, 2011 at 2:12 pm

    Another thing to consider with recognition is that not everyone appreciates these acts in the same way.

    Many organizations have large numbers of people who aren't going to respond to solitary awards given to high achievers. These people are team players who desire recognition for loyalty and a job well done.

    A recognition program that is nuanced to appeal to people's individual preferences will go further than one that takes a one-size-fits-all approach.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Get free blog posts by email NOW!

It’s the best 5 minutes a week you can spend on your development.

Subscribe HERE!


All Contacts

Get new posts FREE via RSS!
Follow thoughtLEADERS on LinkedInFollow thoughtLEADERS on twitter
This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
 

Check Out Our Courses

Our courses teach immediately applicable skills that have real impact on your business. From leadership to strategy and negotiation to conflict resolution, we have a broad set of course offerings that will drive immediate performance improvements.
OUR COURSES

Our Courses

Group of Business People Meeting
Puzzle Pieces
Glasses Looking Over Cityscape
Doors on a Wall
Cog Wheels
Man Reading Book
Fishing hook in the sea
Microphone in Lecture Hall
Charts on Blue Background
Wristwatch
Exploding Light Bulb
Man on Summit of Mountain
Lightning Bolts
Man Painting the Word Change on a Wall
Construction Cranes
Plant Growing in a Hand
High Performance Gears
Men Shaking Hands Closeup
Influence Definition
Sailboat at Sunset
Hanging light bulbs with glowing one isolated on dark blue background
Wagon Wheel
Executive Communications
Structured Problem Solving
Creating Leadership Maxims
Leading inside the Box
Deliberate Decision Making
Simple Strategic Planning
Storytelling for Leaders
Storytelling for Sales
Executive Presence
Principles of Chart Design
Time Management Mastery
Breakthrough Innovation
Leadership Resilience
Conflict Resolution
Leading through Change
Project Management Reality
Coaching for Impact
High Performing Teams
Everything is Negotiable
Leading with Influence
Building Personal Resilience
thoughtLEADERSHIP
Engagement Management
previous arrow
next arrow
 

eLearning Courses on TITAN

Structured Thought: Problem Solving
Puzzle Pieces
Structured Thought: Problem Solving

Clearly define a problem, scope all issues related to the problem, generate potential solutions, then analyze and select the best solution by using time-tested critical thinking methods and tools.

VIEW COURSE
Structured Thought and Communication
Group of Business People Meeting
Structured Thought and Communication

Craft clear and compelling recommendations that resonate with stakeholders. Get your ideas approved by using a proven method for delivering executive-level communications.

VIEW COURSE
Principles of Chart Design
Different Types of Line and Bar Charts
Principles of Chart Design

Create well-designed presentation charts that get your message across quickly and clearly to drive your audience to action. From data charts to concept charts, these methods help make your point.

VIEW COURSE
Engagement Management
Wagon Wheel
Engagement Management

Whether you’re an internal or external consultant or a project leader, learn proven methods, techniques, and processes to effectively lead consulting engagements that drive your client’s success.

VIEW COURSE
Strategic Business Planning
Cog Wheels
Strategic Business Planning

Use a straightforward and effective strategic planning process that shows how to craft a clear, compelling plan for your organization - not just one time, but on an ongoing basis year after year.

VIEW COURSE
Deliberate Decision Making
Deliberate Decision Making
Deliberate Decision Making

Make better, faster, and more effective decisions. Apply simple yet powerful decision making tools to define decision authority, manage risk, increase accountability, and drive execution.

VIEW COURSE
Everything is Negotiable
Men Shaking Hands
Everything is Negotiable

Become a better negotiator in all situations – from day to day interactions to hammering out large deals. Build the skills required to get what you want and strengthen relationships while you do.

VIEW COURSE
Breakthrough Innovation
Exploding Lightbulb
Breakthrough Innovation

Generate and select unique strategies that separate you from the competition. Construct bold and disruptive solutions then build and execute a plan for taking those strategies to market.

VIEW COURSE
Storytelling for Leaders
Man reading stories from a book
Storytelling for Leaders

Create business stories that inspire people, build connections with your audience, and ultimately advance your organization's goals by using a repeatable, straightforward method.

VIEW COURSE
Storytelling for Salespeople
Storytelling for Salespeople
Storytelling for Salespeople

Create and deliver stories that will take your sales efforts to the next level. Connect with and convince buyers in all situations using memorable stories. These stronger relationships drive more sales.

VIEW COURSE
Leading through Change
Leading through Change
Leading through Change

Lead your organization through the most challenging times using a proven change management process. Get people through the change and back to driving performance quickly and effectively.

VIEW COURSE
Building Leadership Resilience
Mountain Climbing Expedition
Building Leadership Resilience

Prepare your body and brain to be ready for and recover from your biggest challenges. Build approaches for overcoming stress, managing reactions to difficult events, and leading more effectively.

VIEW COURSE
Compelling Executive Presence
Compelling Executive Presence
Compelling Executive Presence

Build your ability to connect with your audience and convey your ideas in a clear and resonant way. Create meaningful connections between you and your audience to build buy-in.

VIEW COURSE
Coaching for Impact
Plant Growing in a Hand
Coaching for Impact: Foundation Course

Coach employees for performance and development more effectively by helping them identify and pursue their own solutions. Create the right environment and conditions to help them grow.

VIEW COURSE
Building Personal Resilience
Boat at Sunset
Building Personal Resilience

Build the habits and learn the behaviors required to manage stress, deal with adversity, and maintain your physical and mental wellbeing. Personal resilience is a key to your ongoing success.

VIEW COURSE
Time Management Mastery
Watches
Time Management Mastery

Learn techniques to manage your time, delegate, say “no,” and be more efficient. Balance your limited supply of time with the overwhelming demands that are placed on you every day.

VIEW COURSE
previous arrow
next arrow

Books You MUST Read

The Elegant Pitch
One Piece of Paper by Mike Figliuolo
Lead Inside the Box
10 Stories Great Leaders Tell
Getting Ahead
Sell with a Story
Lead with a Story
Mastering Communication at Work
The Hook
Innovative Leadership Fieldbook
Innovative Leaders Guide to Transforming Organizations
The Three Commitments of Leadership
The Littlest Green Beret
Storytelling in the Land of Oz
The Camino Way
The Power of Surge
Red Shoes Living book
The Inner Matrix book
The Elegant Pitch
One Piece of Paper by Mike Figliuolo
Lead Inside the Box
10 Stories Great Leaders Tell
Getting Ahead
Sell with a Story - Border
Lead with a Story
Leading from Your Best Self
Mastering Communication at Work
The Hook
Innovative Leadership Fieldbook
Innovative Leaders Guide to Transforming Organizations
20120318 Three Commitments
Leadership Vertigo
The Littlest Green Beret
Storytelling in the Land of Oz
The Camino Way
Hijacked by Your Brain
Outthink the Competition
Driving Innovation from Within
The Power of Surge
Red Shoes Living
The Inner Matrix
previous arrow
next arrow
  • The Elegant Pitch
  • The Vision Code
  • The Power of Surge
  • Red Shoes Living
  • The Inner Matrix

This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Categories

Our Course Offerings

Leadership Skills

Creating Your Leadership Maxims
Leading Inside the Box
Leading With Influence
Leading Through Change
Structured Problem Solving
Deliberate Decision Making
High Performing Teams
Simplified Strategic Planning
Strategic Business Planning
Coaching for Impact: Foundations
Coaching for Impact: Applications
Building Leadership Resilience
Engagement Management
Project Management Reality

Communication Skills

Communications: Foundations
Communications: Applications
Principles of Chart Design
Storytelling for Leaders
Storytelling for Salespeople
Compelling Executive Presence
Advanced Facilitation Skills

Individual Skills

Conflict Resolution
Everything is Negotiable
thoughtLEADERSHIP: Innovation
Building Personal Resilience
Time Management Mastery

Coaching & Consulting

©2022 thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World. thoughtLEADERS, LLC is a registered trademark of thoughtLEADERS, LLC.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Policy
How Mr. Spock Helps You Make Better Decisions BBQ, Planes, and Coffee – Keys to Customer Loyalty
Scroll to top