Triathlon and leadership—two seemingly different domains. But upon closer analysis, significant similarities emerge in terms of motivation:
- complex and demanding
- resource-oriented coordination
- individual performance evaluation
- Target setting and target achievement
- intrinsic motivation (potential)
Triathletes must be versatile and master three sports. In competitions, foresight and resource-oriented planning are also important. leader adapt to a wide variety of employees and deploy them according to their abilities. With regard to goal setting and achievement, the following applies to both areas: Achieving small goals in everyday life is considered an essential prerequisite for achieving big goals. Intrinsic motivation (potential) is considered a prerequisite for being able to perform at a (high) level.
How do triathletes manage to devote so much time and money to training for years on end alongside their jobs? Without receiving any financial reward for doing so. In contrast, employees usually receive bonus payments. However, these often fail to maintain motivation in the long term.
- So what keeps triathletes motivated in the sport over the long term?
- What conditions enable lasting intrinsic motivation in triathlon?
- As leader , what can you learn leader for your employees?
The basis for answering these questions is the self-determination theory of motivation developed by Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan. It is a modern theory with a broad conceptual framework. The basic idea is based on intrinsic motivation. In addition, three innate basic needs of individuals are assumed: competence, autonomy, and self-determination. Both these basic needs and the fundamental pursuit of growth form the basis for self-motivated action.
The need for competence is expressed in the following feeling: the desire to act effectively in ongoing interactions with the social environment, while utilizing and expressing one's capacities. People seek out challenging tasks that match their own abilities in order to implement and further develop them. Competence is not primarily an acquired skill, but rather a feeling of effectiveness and confidence in one's own activities.
Autonomy is defined by Deci/Ryan as a need to perform certain actions on one's own initiative. These should be consistent with one's own interests, inner values, and beliefs. LeadingSimple® gives you the opportunity to reflect on your own values and those of your employees.
- Do you know your own values?
- What are the values of your employees?
- How do your employees define their own values?
- How can values support you in leadership?
However, autonomy should not be confused with independence, without external influence. The need for social integration refers to the desire for connection with others who care for you and whom you can care for in return. It is the desire for other individuals or a social community in which the self and one's own activities are respected and recognized.
In both triathlon and professional contexts, satisfying the need for competence promotes intrinsically motivated behavior. In triathlon, realistic challenges that are slightly above one's own level of ambition play an important role in the experience of competence. For you as leader , this leader that goals should be set together with your employees. Instead of the annual goal-setting meetings that often exist in practice, in which few but large goals are agreed upon, more frequent and thus smaller (interim) goals could be useful. However, these should focus on the overarching goal.
It is important that these goals not only fit in with the strategic direction of the company, but also present a challenge for the employee. What can you leader as leader if you have the impression that your employee may not achieve their goals and there is therefore a risk that their need for competence will not be satisfied? During a redirection meeting, you can explore the four control buttons:
Goals x Self-confidence = Commitment
Knowledge x Experience = Competence
- How exactly do you see the time frame?
- What would need to happen for you to see the goal/intermediate goals more clearly?
- How sure are you that you will achieve the goal?
- What knowledge could help you?
- How would you rate your level of experience with regard to this project?
These control buttons support you as leader in counteracting potential failures or underperformance by employees in a timely manner and asking specific questions about the causes. In addition, these questions help employees to benefit as much as possible and to recognize their own path and point of view.
That's why you're not really happy.
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