The four Motivation Styles make up a ‘balanced team’, and are useful for
recruitment and appointing new team members. All people tend to exhibit aspects
of all four Styles, however it is common for one or two styles to be more
dominant in each person. It is inevitable that a team or board will consist of
individuals with different dominant Motivation Styles. This means that
competition is inherently built in to every team. When team members understand the
four Styles it will promote collaboration
and reduce competition and conflict between different Styles. It
will also assist in resolving
competition and conflict when this does arise. They will be able to recognise their differing styles
and how these can complement one another. Various Motivation Styles can act as
the ‘oil’ between more contrasting Styles to promote understanding and
collaboration. This is pointed out in the profiles.
The profile identifies four Motivation Styles in terms of ‘Boundaries’,
where Boundaries stand for defined expectations and recognised processes for
achieving objectives. .
Boundary Keepers prefer to know
what the boundaries are i.e. what is expected of them and how they will know
they are accomplishing tasks correctly within set boundaries.
Boundary Pushers are motivated by
being engaged in tasks that have personal meaning for them and will ‘push’
themselves to the boundaries of what is possible in achieving a task if it
really interests them.
Boundary Fillers are motivated by
harmonious relationships in a team, where the boundaries are filled with
relational collaboration and peace.
Boundary Developers question existing
boundaries and are motivated by exploring how and where the boundaries can be
developed and altered in innovative ways.
More detailed descriptions of
each Motivation Style are below.
1. Boundary Keepers
Boundary Keepers like to know what is expected of them and what the ‘rules’ and correct procedures i.e. what the boundaries are and how to stay within them. When they know what boundaries they are expected to work within they rarely disappoint.
They prefer to know what others expect of them and what a completed task should look like.
They are interested in completing any tasks in the correct way, or being told exactly how it should be done, so they have the confidence they will complete it as expected.
Accurate time-keeping can be one aspect of their desire to work within boundaries. This not the typical profile of a Boundary Developing entrepreneur and may cause frustration.
Recognition in the form of tangible appreciation or rewards can be important to them and salary, or bonuses, may be one way they measure this.
In a team context they will be de-motivated and frustrated if boundaries are vague or unclear, or by unpredictability or failure of others to honour commitments.
The potential for competition and conflict will arise mainly from working with Boundary Developers in a team. This is because they are motivated by the opposite of what motivates Boundary Keepers and move on with new ideas and projects when other projects have not been completed, or new ones not adequately costed or processes identified.
Boundary Developers may interpret Boundary Keepers concerns and questions about details as impeding and obstructing the progress they are impatient to make.
A Boundary Keeper may be vital in translating the random thinking of the Boundary Developing entrepreneur into a logical format that others can understand and follow more easily
They may also find tensions with strong Boundary Fillers who are motivated by having time for relational and social interaction and find strict time constraints or rigid agendas do not allow time for this.
Boundary Fillers may find Boundary Keepers are too focused on completing tasks to make sufficient time for relational interaction or take on board how other team members are feeling emotionally about themselves and others involved in the enterprise.
2. Boundary Pushers
Boundary Pushers are motivated by being able to complete work to their own satisfaction and not be rushed or forced to work to deadlines if it will compromise the quality of their work.
They like to ‘push’ the quality of their work to the best of their capacity or limits of their Boundaries if they are personally interested in it or if other people show specific appreciation for the quality of their work and extra effort.
Boundary Pushers invest extra time and effort in work they are personally interested in, but are less motivated to invest in work that does not interest them.
A reward for them is being able to take on a harder challenge rather than remain with work they have mastered already.
Competition and conflict could arise between them and strong Boundary Keepers who are comfortable with deadlines and look for more rigid ‘boundaries’ for their work.
Conflict can also arise with strong Boundary Developers who are motivated to keep things moving forward and often rush work to do so.
3. Boundary Developers
Boundary Developers
are motivated by being able to be innovative rather than be confined to previously
established ‘boundaries’ for tasks or projects.
They are motivated
by being able to keep moving forward rather than ‘mark time’.
This means they are
more likely to look for alternative approaches to creatively shape new
boundaries.
They prefer to be
given options rather than be confined to a set way of doing tasks.
These characteristics
mean that innovators, entrepreneurs and intra-preneurs are typically strong
Bound Developers.
They question the
reasons why certain boundaries should be adhered to and may challenge accepted
rules or approaches to doing things, i.e. existing boundaries, and appear to be
‘disruptive’ to other team members.
They are motivated
by the freedom to creatively develop new boundaries due to seeing alternatives
to what they had been expected to do in a task.
The Boundary
Developer’s willingness to take charge in situations and to make decisions
based on their intuition, instinct and ‘gut feeling’ are typical of innovators
and entrepreneurs.
The preference for
active learning ‘on the job’ rather than classroom-based learning means that
they will develop best in situations where they can be ‘hands on’ and take the
‘protected risks’ that train them to become confident in their own instincts.
Boundaries are not
seen by them as something to be restricted by. Other people’s rules may serve
more as guidelines for them as they explore beyond existing boundaries.
May have a tendency
to find reasons for doing things they are not expected to do.
They are more
likely to think randomly than sequentially in dealing with information and to
get ideas ‘out of the air’. This can make it harder for people who think
logically to follow their random line of thought, especially if they see
possibilities in situations which others do not see.
They may need
others to ‘translate’ their random thinking into a more sequential format that
others in a team can understand and follow.
Their tendency to
challenge and take risks can cause others in the team who recognise and look
for boundaries to be uncomfortable or even resistant.
This may lead to
competition and even conflict with other Motivation Styles in a team.
It is important to
recognise when other Motivation Styles are struggling with what inspires and motivates
the Boundary Developer. It may actually de-motivate them.
A ‘balanced team’
should include Boundary Keepers, Fillers and Pushers to complement the Boundary
Developers, but Boundary Developers are often so keen to move ahead that they
can be slow to appreciate the need to build up a well-balanced team.
4. Boundary Fillers
Boundary Fillers
are motivated when their work environment is relationally ‘filled’ by peaceful
and harmonious relationships among team members.
They contribute to
relational harmony in a diverse team.
Reward for them is
enjoying relational interaction and bringing harmony and peace to a team.
They like to have
time for relational and social interaction and are de-motivated when they are
forced to work within strict time constraints or rigid agendas that do not
allow time for this.
Boundary Fillers
may find entrepreneurs too focused on completing tasks to make sufficient time
for relational interaction or take on board how other team members are feeling
emotionally about themselves and others involved in the enterprise.
They may find
Boundary Keepers too preoccupied with keeping
to rules and procedures and ignoring relational implications
They will usually
comply with what is expected of them for the sake of relational peace, but may
resent the goal-orientated pressure internally.
They can play a valuable
role in recognising when competition is developing between team members and
preventing relational conflicts or resolving them.