Motivating knowledge workers

Jane Prusakova

Brazos PMI Chapter

March 2015

Think for a living

Knowledge workers are workers whose

main capital is knowledge.

Examples: managers, software

engineers, doctors, architects, engineers,

scientists, accountants, lawyers,

and academics

- HBS Press

Origins of motivation

• Everyone is motivated to do <some activity>

• Self-selection

– “Knowledge capital” takes hard work to acquire

Self Determination Theory by Edward L. Deci & Richard M. Ryan, 2000

Money

• Uncorrelated

• Short-term motivator

• Long-term de-motivator

Money makes

the world go

around

Motivation: what works?

• Autonomy

• Mastery

• Purpose

Knowledge work

• Work is fun

• People are

motivated to do

well

• Hard work is not

rare

Work by Edward L. Deci at the University of Rochester in 1970s

• What motivates you at work?

– For yourself

– Someone you know well

Motivators

Purpose

• Make the world a better place

Milton Friedman vs Peter Drucker debate in 1970s on the purpose of a corporation.

Personal

• A way to relate

• If < hard work > then < >

• Surprise! Occasional < >

Rewards

“Drive” by Daniel Pink

If - Then

• Algorithmic work

– Cold calls

– Filling out paperwork

• Thinking or creative work

– Customer engagement

– Designing solutions

D. Ariely, U. Gneezy, et al. “Incentives lead to worse performance”

Surprise! reward

• A reward for work well-done

• Reward behavior, not the outcome

• Be authentic

Surprise!

• A surprise reward

– Gave it or got it?

– How did it feel?

– How long did you remember it, talked about it,

smiled about it?

Slack time

• Free

• Relationship-building

• Reflect and feel good

• Learning

Power Over Process

• Ask for advice

• Implement

• Provide feedback

Motivators

Punished!

De-motivators

• Coercion

• Continuous oversight

• Zero-sum rewards

• If-then rewards

Minds

• Feedback

• Slack time

• Autonomy

• Blame

• Busyness

• Oversight

Hearts

• Genuine buy-in

• Power over process

• Surprise! rewards

• Coercion

• Micromanagement

• If-then rewards

Inspire Passionate Performance

• Purpose

• Autonomy

• Mastery

• Appreciation

Motivating knowledge workers

Jane Prusakova

Brazos PMI Chapter

March 2015