30 Practical Exercises: Making Motivation Work

Motivation doesn't just happen. Motivation happens because the manager understands their team, understands how they may be affected by events, understands what motivates them, and as importantly, what doesn't. Good managers have motivation strategies, and they will have one for every member of their team.

Good motivation is too important to be left to chance, to say 'Well, they will like it or lump it.' 'They'll pull round once they get used to it'. The damage has been done, and may be long lasting. Drop these exercises into your leadership, management and team building courses to ensure improved morale and productivity throughout the organisation.

Author: Tony Weightman
Pages: 292
'OK to copy' pages: 159

ContentsMotivation and you
What gets you up in the morning? What makes you feel good at work? What makes you give that little bit extra? A questionnaire allows you to assess your motivation level in the workplace. Groups then feed back on the general themes raised.

Knowing your subordinates
With the aid of a questionnaire, participants score themselves on how well they know the people they work with. Then they look at ways of getting to know those people better.

Knowing your manager
Participants give an honest assessment of how well they think they know their managers. Then they look at methods for getting to know their managers better and the benefits this will bring to the team.

Motivation in theory and practice
This exercise provides an opportunity for participants to share what they know about the main motivation theories and looks at how they can be applied at work.

Motivation questionnaire
Individuals complete a questionnaire to highlight their views of motivation in the workplace. The questionnaire also establishes whether they are people or task orientated. The group shares its scores and discusses further ideas on motivation.

Workplace scenario: the new computer
Groups are quizzed on how they would deal with a delicate workplace situation. They agree on a motivational strategy that will result in a positive outcome.

Workplace scenario: just tell me
Participants work in groups to ascertain how they would positively resolve a workplace scenario in which an employee has been openly criticised by a manager. Then they outline their strategy to the whole group and discuss best practice for similar workplace situations.

Motivating new people
We all know what it's like to be 'the new person' on the team. Using three different scenarios, this group exercise examines strategies to maximise the motivation of a new employee.

Motivating your team
Individuals complete an action plan to see who, in their work team, needs to be motivated, when and in what way. Participants' strategies are commented on, with assistance given to help develop future strategies that work.

Motivation in difficult cases
Participants discuss (in confidence, and without giving any means of identification) people in their team whom they find difficult to motivate. The group offers support and discusses a strategy for the future.

Motivating your new team
Groups identify the best motivation strategies a manager can use when they inherit an existing team.

Motivating for a new function

The scenario of managing a team assembled for a specific function is discussed. Groups agree on how to build confidence in this situation and attempt to define a model strategy.

What went wrong?
This exercise demonstrates how the negative actions of a team leader/supervisor can influence an entire team. Groups discuss how the scenario described is best managed or avoided.

What's a motivator?
This two-part task requires participants to identify as many motivators in the workplace as they can. The group then assesses which of the motivators can be directly controlled and used by managers.

What motivates others
In pairs, participants interview each other about motivation levels in three areas of their life. The whole group then discusses key areas of both motivation and demotivation, exploring what can be done in the case of the latter.

Motivating difficult individuals
This two-part exercise looks at planning motivational interviews with different personalities, then carrying them out. A videoed role-play by some of the participants is used by the whole group to agree an approach.

The negative employee
Using a workplace scenario, participants practise positive strategies for dealing with negative people. As a group, they discuss the approaches identified, how to tackle a negative reaction and how to change a behaviour pattern.

A picture of motivation
Working on the well-used phrase 'a picture paints a thousand words', participants draw a definition of motivation and share their views. This exercise does not require artistic ability - just paper and pens, and a willingness to be open.

Motivation task: take the biscuit
Groups are each appointed a leader, who takes them into a shopping area to gather data about biscuits. Only the leader has the task brief. So the group's job later is to feed back on any issues of motivation that could be improved on or changed.

Motivation task: canteen meals
This exercise looks at how motivation works in a real situation. An appointed leader directs the rest of their group through a series of tasks relating to canteen food. The leader's methods of motivation are then assessed by others in the group.

Workplace scenario: sorry, not you
In groups, participants consider the situation of an employee who has been rejected for voluntary redundancy. They agree on how to maintain consistency with and motivate this employee.

Workplace scenario: it's changed
How can you motivate a team when its objectives (and therefore workload) change on a regular basis? This workplace scenario provides a discussion point for groups.

Maintaining commitment
This exercise considers how the theory of motivation works in practice. Groups use the scenario of an employee who is refused a reasonable request, to assess how this person can be motivated from this point on.

The poor appraisal
In groups, participants consider the case of a worker who, despite performing poorly, is unhappy with a recent appraisal review. They agree a motivation strategy to overcome this issue, then feed back their ideas to other groups.

Motivation in a growing department
Groups assess the best way to manage the growth of a
department (which is likely to result in increased workload and new employees coming into the team). They discuss the motivation factors that need to be used in such a situation.

Motivation and discipline
Participants consider the situation of a team member who has just been disciplined for persistent lateness. They agree a motivation strategy to overcome this issue and consider the effects of this situation on the workplace.

Motivating the hostile new department
Participants consider how a manager tackles promotion to a new department and what happens when they encounter resentment. The group discusses the effects of this situation in the workplace and looks at some practical suggestions to resolve the issue.

After redundancy
This exercise poses the problem of a team that has lost some of its members through redundancy. Groups consider the effect of motivation strategies to calm this situation.

Motivating those not promoted
Participants consider the situation of an employee who has been overlooked for promotion. Groups try to relate to this situation as much as possible and consider the effect it has in the workplace.

Motivating the complacent
What happens when an entire team becomes complacent. Participants consider the motivation issues and work on achieving practical solutions to the problem.


292 pages, with 75 OK to copy pages.