1. Partnering to Build Actionable Knowledge: Learning Paper 2 - Motivation
Baburaj Nair
Jan 2020
MOTIVATION
A different perspective

2. Partnering to Build Actionable Knowledge: Learning Paper 2 - Motivation
Motivation
What are you going to use, a carrot or a stick or both?
Every day, we come across
umpteen real-life situations,
wherein people (cutting
across all economic/
geographies back-ground)
achieving otherwise believed
to be impossible ac-
tions. These actions are vide-
otaped, shared as stories
to create positive energy
and help people to remove
obstacles and move ahead in
life.
If we study these cases, we
can clearly conclude that
mostly people who have very
less resources at their dispos-
al - economically and physi-
cally - achieved these mind-
blowing results, and all of
them are successful and role
models for others to emulate.
Two major lessons can be learned from
these cases
• Optimum resources are not required to
achieve what you set your eyes on.
• Having self-belief is critical to succeed
and surmount “even otherwise believed
to be impossible” obstacles
Carrot, stick, or both would not
help to build motivation

3. Partnering to Build Actionable Knowledge: Learning Paper 2 - Motivation
What is Motivation?
Intrinsic or extrinsic or both
It is
”motion activated towards a
specific life goal”
It is also linked to our emotions – psyche. It is our intrinsic
belief, which help us activate within to move towards this
goal.
If so, in an Organisational Context, why people
do not get motivated towards achieving better
and better?
Why continuous follow up is required to get a
task done – even at senior level?
Why organisation, collectively, do not achieve
the budgeted goals – consistently?
The answer lies deep in its culture.

4. Partnering to Build Actionable Knowledge: Learning Paper 2 - Motivation
Motivation
What is the link with Excellence?
Another interesting aspect of achieving result is Excellence.
Perfection is the way towards excellence or
Excellence is the way to reach perfection?
If we study all real-life situations / lives of people, we can con-
clude two interesting perspectives:
• Consistent excellence is a process towards per-
fection, and it is a journey.
• To excel, we need to have challenges thrown
at us : Challenging our status quo, Challenging
our capabilities, Challenging our internal belief.
Organisational experts developed Vision / Mission/ Strategy/
Goals/Structure and Roles - so that ultimately each one of us
can define and move in a known path to achieve our collective
Vision/Mission.
If so, why organisations fail in their stated goals or lose their fo-
cus completely. Most of the mergers & acquisitions are being
done to excel in their chosen field and grow inorganically. How-
ever, study after study clearly indicates that the failure rate of
M&A is somewhere between 70% and 90%.
Source: HBR—”The Big Idea: The New M&A Playbook“ by Clayton M. Christensen, Richard Alton, Cur-
tis Rising, and Andrew Waldeck, March 2011 Issue

5. Partnering to Build Actionable Knowledge: Learning Paper 2 - Motivation
Motivation
Why it does not happen—the pitfalls: ”SPLITS”
Organisation SPLITS, impacting the performance culture
and motivation to excel. Mostly, organisation SPLITS,
due to earlier success creating a sense of complacency
or due to a status-quo mindset among the top leader-
ship– the discomfort to swim through unchartered wa-
ter.
Self-centred Leadership
Purposeless “strategic” meetings : Only “perceived” ownership
on outcomes of meetings. Organisation hides behind projec-
tions/data analysis – to create a larger than life situation and
growth.
Listens less, resulting into stressful working relationship, lower
transparency and poor teamwork.
Intention lacks. Leadership works with false façade of truthful
intention, making it impossible for stakeholders to add value
Target obsession. A paradoxical fight between short and long
term ensues, and unrealistic targets and expectations are set to
achieve. It brings a hollowness in the minds of employees.
They feel confused on the real achievement. It gets compound-
ed by the compensation linked biased performance manage-
ment process.
Speed to deliver: Tinkers with the current systems and pro-
cess to develop “new products/services” to ensure faster re-
lease to the market, eventually leading to “me too” products
and impacts the market share, revenue, and profitability.
(Source: developed after studying various books /research papers on motivation, organisational culture/
behaviour impacting business, and the author’s 3 decades of experience in multiple business contexts)

6. Partnering to Build Actionable Knowledge: Learning Paper 2 - Motivation
Motivation
How to make it happen—the way forward
Successful organisations weave CARE into their organisational
fabric to build a motivated workforce across the levels.
Communication with a purpose. All communications should be
made based on principles of FACTS, ensuring no disso-
nance on any policy implementation.
Fair
Authenticity
Conviction on decisions made
Transparent
Safe-guarding interests of all key stake-holders
Accepting mistakes and learn. Successful organisations consist-
ently ensure that there is a tolerance level to accept mistakes,
and healthy dialogues are structured around such mistakes/
failures.
Relationship with a purpose. Developing more informal net-
works at different levels with a constant reminder of the col-
lective dream. Making all stake holders proud of the associa-
tion – ethical, being best, socially responsible, adult oriented
and creating space for different groups to co-exist.
Excel consistently. Questioning the status-quo, and owning up
new challenges to excel, and rewiring processes accordingly.

7. Partnering to Build Actionable Knowledge: Learning Paper 2 - Motivation
How P2B Consulting can add value?
It can do a People Governance Audit and find out gaps
and structure the entire process around the same to ad-
dress this issue, based on the client’s needs.
Purpose: P2B Consulting
• To help organizations to build actionable knowledge
in the field of people processes with a focus on busi-
ness outcomes.
• To help management institutions to re-wire its curric-
ulum to align with the external environment.
Services: P2B Consulting
• People Process Automation
• People Governance
• Performance Enhancement process
• Building Future People:
Corporates/Management Institutes.
To know more about P2B Consulting and its team,
visit: www.soulsearchhr.com
To connect Baburaj and team:
write to : p2b@soulsearchhr.com or just ping on: +91
7708163366