Some motivational researchers also refer to these motivators as "values" or "attitudes." It's a challenge to find a term or phrase that accurately describes this function.

The term "values" is frequently used to describe a "moral" outlook, such as "family values." And the term "attitudes" tends to make us think of someone having a "good" attitude or a "bad" one-usually meaning the person is either cooperative and pleasant or stubborn and hostile.

There is a quality in these two words that suggests "right" and "wrong." Whatever term we choose to use, we need to agree on a working definition that we are simply categorizing different factors that motivate us.

These motivating factors are neutral; they are judgment-free. You may use them for "good" outcomes or "bad," just as a hammer can be used to build or destroy, although a hammer itself has no "morality" on its own. The real question is, which of these motivators do you value most-think of "value" as a verb, not a noun! Our question is, "What do you value?", as opposed to "What are your values?"

One more important consideration involving Spranger's list of motivators: two of the six tend to be primary influences for most people-sometimes three, but most often two.

Then another one or two motivators have situational influence-they are not driving passions in an individual's life, but they can be activated when there is a specific application or focus that will benefit from them.

Finally, there are one or two that do not motivate the individual at all. In fact, if you use them as a motivator to appeal to this person, you'll find they are de-motivators instead.

One of the great benefits of understanding people's motivators is that we can know their "hot buttons," what "turns them on" and makes them run. It's how a particular person is "wired." Some managers make the mistake of pushing buttons in their employee that are either disconnected or are prewired to turn that person off.

When explaining values and motivation to clients and workshop participants, I found this "bucket analogy" the most helpful:

Each morning, you subconsciously pick up two, or perhaps three, buckets. Each bucket represents a motivating value. During the day, your goal is to fill up those buckets. If you don't fill them, at the end of the day, you may go home dissatisfied, or unsatisfied. If this happens day after day, you might even burn out and become disenchanted with your job- or even with your spouse. There are times when other people don't fill your bucket at all-in fact, they take out what's in it! During your life, which buckets you carry and want to fill are determined by your beliefs and shaped by your experiences. You value some buckets positively and judge others negatively. Some you want to fill and others you'd just as soon pour out and leave behind. And there are times you have no clue why others value what they carry in their buckets.

Which  do employees value?  Click here to learn more about Business Values and Motivators.

Perfect Labor Storm Alerts #76 to #80
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Fact #76

Fact #78 Percentage of women who worked during pregnancy:

Fact #79 Percentage of women who returned to work within six months after first child:

Fact #80 Percentage of women who worked during pregnancy and then quit job:

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Announcing "The Perfect Labor Storm Fact Book: Why Worker Shortages Won't Go Away" available March 10, 2004!

New! Visit the Perfect Labor Storm website.

Managing to Excel - rescheduled. Team Building Workshops begin Feb. 19
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Managing to EXCEL 2004 - Team Building Workshops

Managing to Excel: Team Building Cluster is a collection of 3 half-day workshops, each dedicated to the development of three key team building competencies:

Where: Leola Family Restaurant, Leola, PA When: February 19 - March 18, 2004 - April 8, 2004 What time: 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM To learn more about Managing to Excel, Click here.

Register today for Managing to Excel 2004

Words to live by!
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"Have you considered that if you 'don't make waves,' nobody, including yourself, will know you are alive?"

Theodore Isaac Rubin, MD

Setting the Right Climate for Coaching
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Employee appraisals are one of the most dreaded activities a manager has to do. On top of that, there are dozens of traps managers fall into. Click on the link below for tips on "Setting the Right Climate for Coaching"

"Setting the Right Climate for Coaching" is just one of hundreds of pages of reproducible facts, tips and sample evaluation forms included in Janus Performance Managerment System Volume 1.

Begin to improve your employee appraisal process today with the Janus Performance Management System. Order Volume 1 today and save $50. Or order Volumes 1 -2 -3 and save $200.

More tips for managers on completing successful employee evaluations. Click here to download a one page excerpt from the Janus Performance Management System.

Now Available! Audio Clips on Why This Worker Shortage Will Not Go Away
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Just Added to the super-solutions.com website are Streaming Audio clips from Ira Wolfe's Keynote Address at the 2004 PA HR Conference.

Listen here!

Pathfinder(tm) - Track Individual and Team Goals On-line!
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We are also pleased to introduce Pathfinder IPM (tm), an online integrated performance management system.

Benefits of Pathfinder IPM:

Call us today to schedule a web-based demo in your office or to receive an invitation for our next Executive breakfast introducing PathFinder, the integrated performance management system. Seating limited to first 15. Reservations restricted to CEO/Presidents/Owners, VPs, HR and/or Hiring Managers.

Reserve my seat in the next Introduction to Pathfinder(tm)

Measure Five Vital Areas of Leadership Effectiveness
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PS (Performance Skills) Leader is a research-based leadership competency assessment that gives leaders an objective needs analysis of their leadership effectiveness, and helps them target areas for improvement. The core of the assessment is a set of 24 clearly defined competencies that have been shown to be an essential part of effective leader performance.

PS Leader Assesses Leadership Skills in these 5 Focus Areas:

Download your PS Leader Sample report here!

SELECT Employees with A Positive Attitude!
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The SELECT Associate System is a pre-employment screening system to identify work-related behaviors such as Positive Service Attitude, Accountability, Frustration Tolerance, Acceptance of Diversity, Multi- taskingand more.... plus a Validity Check and Integrity Index.

Each customized report includes a step by step interview guide including recommended interview questions.

SELECT is available on-line, paper, or fax.

The following report versions are available: