Motivation: Definition, Process and Relationship to Needs

Definition and Role in Behavior

Motivation is a critical element in any change process, including coaching.

It can be defined as the set of internal processes involved in activating, directing and maintaining behavior or learning toward specific goals or ends.

It is the ability that allows us to perform tasks without apathy, seeing them not as a burden, but as something desirable.

It represents the impulse that moves a person to perform certain actions and to persist in them until they are completed.

It is, in essence, what drives us to create and maintain the energy necessary to achieve a goal, satisfying an internal need.

Motivation is consolidated through experience and manifests itself in different behaviors depending on the context.

In coaching, it is usually explained simply as the sum of a motive (a reason) and an action; without a reason to act, motivation does not appear.

Fundamental Link to Human Needs

Motivation is closely related to human needs. As theories such as the hierarchy of needs explain, when a person has an unmet need, he or she automatically feels the motivation to satisfy it.

If there is no perceived need, motivation does not arise. The degree of motivation that a person experiences towards a specific task will depend directly on the importance that person attaches to the benefit he/she will obtain by performing it.

In coaching processes, identifying the deep motives (the underlying needs) that drive the person to seek change is crucial, as the stronger the motive, the greater the likelihood of success.

The Cyclical Process of Motivation

Motivation follows an identifiable cyclical process:

• An unmet need arises.
• That need generates internal tension.
• The tension produces impulses that prom pt action.
• These impulses lead to the pursuit of appropriate behaviors to address the need.
• The execution of those behaviors leads to the satisfaction of the need.
• Once the need is satisfied, the initial tension is reduced. This cycle is constantly repeated as new needs arise.

Critical Importance in the Coaching Process

In the coaching process, the motivation of the coachee is the most important part, as it is the key to whether or not the designed action plan will be carried out.

It acts as a factor that can greatly facilitate learning and change, or significantly hinder it if it is absent.

It is especially crucial at the beginning of the process and during times of change, given our natural resistance to leaving our comfort zone.

Motivation will be the essential ingredient to face that automatic rejection and keep moving towards the goal.

The core of the power of leadership, a role that the coach exercises to some extent, lies precisely in the ability to activate motivation in others.

Evolution of Motivational Drivers

It is interesting to note how approaches to motivation have evolved, especially in the workplace.

Previously, motivation was based mainly on external or extrinsic elements (rewards, punishments, compliance).

Now, much more emphasis is placed on internal or transcendent elements, seeking to retain talent through intrinsic satisfaction and self-motivation.

It is recognized that motivation starts with oneself and the person is considered as a whole, not only in terms of productivity.

To be a good motivator (coach), it is necessary to be self-motivated, to have clear objectives, to know the people (what motivates one does not necessarily motivate another), to maintain continuity and to know how to capture opportunities.

Summary

Motivation is essential in any change process, being defined as the set of internal processes for the activation, direction and maintenance of a behavior towards goals. It is the impulse that moves a person to action and persistence.

Motivation is closely related to human needs; if a need is unsatisfied, motivation to satisfy it arises. The degree of motivation depends on the importance attached to the benefit to be gained from performing the task.

Motivation is the most important part of coaching, since the execution of the action plan depends on it. It is crucial to face the automatic rejection that arises when stepping out of the comfort zone and to maintain progress.