„People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily.“ – Zig Ziglar
What? Another buff on motivation? Haven't we already covered everything with hygiene factors, motivators, and hybrids? Well, no.
In Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, we dealt with what things can motivate and demotivate in a company. Today, we're going in a different direction. In this buff, we're focusing on what kind of motivation one needs to finally get things done (e.g., publishing new blog posts) and how one can utilize this knowledge as a leader.
X and Y
This time, we're visiting Douglas McGregor, and we've left the 1950s behind. Okay, we're just in the year 1960. In his book "The Human Side of Enterprise," he assumed that people can be viewed from two different perspectives and introduced his Theory X and Theory Y.
X (not Twitter)
Theory X was widely accepted at that time (spoiler alert: and it still is today). It states that people are fundamentally lazy and must be driven to get anything done. And at first glance, this doesn't seem entirely wrong. Even from a purely biological perspective, our brain uses only 25 watts, yet as of March 19, 2024, with this low power consumption, it still surpasses any supercomputer. This is possible because we encourage our brain to use as many routines, patterns, and boxes as possible. We train it to be as lazy as possible.
In politics, too, we repeatedly stumble upon Theory X. For example, with the issue of unemployment. Supposedly, lazy people need a kick in the backside to get up and finally go to work. Which brings us to Theory Y.
Y
Unsurprisingly, Theory Y assumes the opposite. Humans are fundamentally self-motivated to realize themselves and achieve their goals. One just needs to create the right environment for them, support them, and avoid anything that could jeopardize this self-motivation. Modern educational pedagogy strongly leans in this direction. Children, too, should be provided with this inspiring environment in which they can develop and thus promote themselves.
But is this really the case? Are all people truly either X or Y? I myself had long assumed that about 80% are Y, but 20% are actually X. However, over the years, my practical observation has been quite different. We are all X and Y. Of course, in different forms, but what influences us the most is the situation we are currently in.
The Pull
According to Theory Y, people are self-motivated. However, this requires something: The most classic example of pull motivation is probably the carrot dangled in front of the donkey with a stick and a string to get it moving. The donkey's goal is to reach the carrot. The crucial word in this metaphor is "goal."
Goals that we set for ourselves or our employees serve long-term (!) motivation. To achieve pull motivation, the goal and the reward must be significant. The goals must be Specific (S), Measurable (M), Achievable (A), Relevant (R), and Time-bound (T). Pretty smart.
Pull motivation is achieved through a combination of storytelling and reward. Both are crucial for self-motivation as well. If I want to have a well-trained body, I need to be able to imagine how I could look, what health benefits I would have, what I need to do to achieve this goal, and by when I want to have achieved it. In the private sector, the goal could be a promotion, a pay raise, or a correspondingly high bonus payment to be paid out at the end of the year. Sometimes, however, simple recognition from colleagues, the professional world, or oneself may suffice.
The Push
According to Theory X, people are lazy. I am convinced that hardly anyone can always (!) be attributed to the X group. However, I am also convinced that we all can have an X day, or an X period.
And that's exactly where pull motivation no longer helps, because it's too unattainable, too far away, or just too surreal. In the Push-Pull theory, rewards are seen as pull motivators and punishments as push motivators. However, I have to disagree with the push motivators!
The Minister of Labor might understand it as a reduction in unemployment benefits, but there are many forms of push, depending on the situation. A good employee works on a long-term project but is stuck at an interim goal. Of course, I could say that the job is at risk if the project is not completed by the deadline. However, it is much more common that the said person just needs an exchange of ideas or professional input from the leader to get over this hurdle.
In our gym example, a training partner can provide the missing push to go running for the fourth time this week, even if doing it alone wouldn't have been appealing. Push doesn't have to be a punishment; rather, it's a short-term boost to take the first step or the next step.
TL;DR
Whether someone needs pull or push motivation depends on the situation. Besides the fundamental character of the person, the time horizon is particularly crucial. Pull motivation is excellent for achieving long-term goals associated with a larger reward. On the other hand, push motivation is suitable exclusively for short motivation boosts and can hardly be sustained over a longer period. It does not have to be associated with punishment but can very well be linked with positive things.
First, you need to be clear about the goal you are personally pursuing. Don't just envision the result, but also the reward you will receive and, most importantly, what the path to this goal looks like. When you reach the point where the pull is no longer sufficient, look for a push. Set deadlines for intermediate goals. Share these deadlines with people who are important to you and ask them to give you a push if you notice that you might miss your goal.
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