People do what they WANT to do…So, how do we motivate them?

People do what they want to do.

I was talking to a friend recently about a recruiting question. The question was how to draw a specific type of individual to a new organization that was being developed. The new organization was going to be similar to a world class organization currently operating in a different location.

This conversation brought up one of my old favorite mantras: People do what they are motivated to do…either through intrinsic motivation….or through rewards that can be provided.

Yes, most of us sometimes will do what we don’t necessarily WANT to do, but what we are OBLIGATED to do. Or some of us find something that we WANT to do after trying it…even though first it seemed unpalatable.

However, over a longer period of time, I believe that people will always migrate toward those activities that they have learned that they WANT to do….so why not simply try to find people for whom your opportunity is the most natural fit?

So, for recruiting/selling people, you need to ask and answer 4 questions:

1. Who is my target audience?
2. What does my target audience want? (and be careful NOT to ASSUME what that what YOU want is what your customer/recruit wants)
3. What do I have to provide that fills what these people want…that will motivate them?
4. What do I have to offer that is BETTER than alternatives available to my customer/recruit?

Sounds like Sales or Marketing principles, doesn’t it? You see, I think it is quite simple. Recruiting and Sales are more similar than different….right? Recruiting is simply selling an organization.

My questions are VERY similar to questions that a favorite marketing mentor Alex Mandossian advocates. His urge to his students to clearly be able to answer: Who is your target audience? What problem do they need solved? How can you help them solve their problem?

So, if we simply can accurately answer the 4 questions above and put some simple structure and process around recruiting efforts, it WILL yield more targeted and more effective recruiting of the RIGHT people.

How do you determine “what people want”? Here are a few suggestions:

1. FORGET what YOU want. It is so easy to assume that what drives you will drive others. And it does….for some, but not enough of them…and often NOT your target people.
2. Do your research. Yes, take just a little time. Come up with a set of questions and find out what motivates and thrills your target people.
3. AVOID asking  people the question: “What do you want?” People often cannot tell you what they want. So if you are in recruiting mode…..instead, ask questions like: “Describe a job/career that you heard about from a friend that sounds thrilling to you?” or “The last time, you had that “sparkle in your eye” what were you doing or thinking about ?”

So, how do you “motivate” others?

Find out what they want; tell them how your opportunity best fits these “wants”.

Some friends have appreciated this framework….hope it helps you also!

Please let me know….either way!

Have a great week!

Barb