Developing our skills • 2 min read
Award-winning sociologist Daniel Chambliss carried out a famous three-year study on Olympic swimmers. His research showed that the most successful swimmers were typically those that spent the most time on the mundane elements of swimming - activities that are typically unpleasant and boring.
Excellence is often achieved from doing the small, ordinary things consistently.
Introduction
The second key component that drives employee intrinsic motivation is COMPETENCE. If employees are not getting better at what they do, or if they are not developing new skills within their roles, there is a risk your workforce will become disengaged and unmotivated.
Today we’ll review how leaders can support their workforce in developing competence, enabling them to continually improve in the areas that matter most for their roles and your organisation.
Purpose, challenge and mindset
Let’s address an important reality: it’s common for employees to dislike certain tasks within their roles!
However, if these tasks can be linked to something bigger, there is a much better chance that employees will master them.
The first motivator for employees to improve their skills is understanding the WHY behind their work.
Purpose
If employees understand how a task or skill set contributes to the objectives of the company, they are more motivated to improve their performance in that area.
Challenge
The best way for employees to develop is by taking on challenges that are just beyond their current skill set—pushing themselves outside of their comfort zone.
Mindset
Your workforce will need to persevere, especially for those tasks that they are not passionate about. Encouraging a GROWTH mindset can help employees progress and master the skills that are most critical to their roles.
Purpose, challenge and mindset in practice
Let’s look at an example of Laragh who is looking to improve her leadership skills.
Purpose
Laragh understands that her team is key to delivering the strategic objectives of the company. Not only that, her performance is measured based on her team’s outcomes, so it is critical to her career progression that she leads effectively.
Challenge
It is second nature for Laragh to fix things, typically by directing and advising her team. However, to elevate her team and reduce reliance on her, she seeks to adapt her communication style.
Although it feels uncomfortable, Laragh begins working on a communication style that is less directive and more focused on coaching.
Restraining herself from immediately solving problems puts her outside of her comfort zone, but it is critical in helping her leadership development and enabling her team to become more autonomous.
Mindset
Laragh discovers that the coaching approach doesn’t work for everyone in her team, so she explores alternative strategies. She reflects by asking herself:
“What other options do I have with this individual?”
“What can I do differently next time?”
Instead of reverting to old habits, she adjusts her approach for future interactions, demonstrating resilience and commitment to improvement.
Key takeaways
COMPETENCE is a vital component of intrinsic motivation. When employees fulfil their need to get better at the skills critical to their roles, they experience greater self-determination and engagement.
By identifying the PURPOSE behind a task, taking on CHALLENGES beyond their comfort zones, and adopting a GROWTH MINDSET, employees are more likely to master critical skills.
It’s perfectly normal for your workforce to dislike certain tasks. However, when they see progress in mastering those tasks, their motivation can improve significantly.
Think big, act small
Does your organisation support employees in understanding the purpose behind their daily work?
Are team members being challenged to grow through tasks that push them outside of their comfort zones?
Is there room to encourage a shift in employee mindset regarding the skills they aim to develop?
Use these questions to guide your efforts in fostering competence and motivation within your workforce.
Content sources
Drive, Daniel Pink
Forbes, 10 Critical Competencies For Today's Workforce, Heide Abelli
Grit, Angela Duckworth
Harvard Business Review, Stepping into a Leadership Role? Be Ready to Tell Your Story, David Sluss
Mindset, Carol Dweck
Sociological Theory 7, The Mundanity of Excellence: An Ethnographic Report on Stratification and Olympic Swimmers, Daniel Chambliss
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