Motivation, drive, inspiration, we know these things exist in bucketloads to keep the not for profit sector thriving. But with burnout a very real factor of working environments and the squeeze of the current economic environment, continuing to stay motivated day in and day out becomes something that can need extra time and attention.
Recently we undertook stakeholder interviews for a client and one of the questions we asked all stakeholders was ‘what motivates you in your role’? We wanted to get to the core of what kept them turning up to continue delivering their wonderful work to help the important causes of Aotearoa. It was such an interesting set of responses that we decided to turn the question back on ourselves at our latest planning day, and take some time to reflect on our current motivations. Using a set of cards outlining core motivations, we picked our top three each and had a conversation about which we had chosen, any similarities in our choices, and why those motivations were important to us.
Understanding what motivates you, what drives you to get out of bed in the morning and face whatever the days has in store is important in any career, but in the not-for-profit sector, where work is delivered for purpose, it is essential to make time to step back and take stock of what is fuelling you.
How can understanding your motivations help you in your role?
In our article below we look at some of the ways understanding what motivates you can be used as you navigate your role.
Self-awareness and understanding
Being self-aware is always a strong starting point for any deep dive into what makes and keeps your work meaningful. Taking stock and reflecting on what your top motivations are for delivering in your role can be a powerful tool to understanding what is driving you and making your career in the for purpose sector feel rewarding. It’s an opportunity to be honest with yourself and make sure that the effort you put into your work and the causes that you are passionately delivering good for are aligned with your core values.
“Taking stock and reflecting on what your top motivations are for delivering in your role can be a powerful tool to understanding what is driving you…”
Exercise: take five minutes out of your day to write down your top three motivations for you in your current role. This is for your eyes only, so be honest with yourself about what is driving you. Try and stay current and think about what is motivating you right now for your life stage and situation.
Adding as a topic in development conversations
Taking your insights about motivation into your professional development conversations can be a useful starting point to craft your approach to development. Understanding what is motivating you in your role can ascertain if there are any skillsets you want to develop that fit with your core motivations. This can also be helpful if there are roles you aspire to undertake in the future based on what motivates you. If when you took the time to write down your motivations some struck you as too personal to share, ensure you are curating a conversation that allows you to talk on a professional level, focusing on your development and how your work can contribute to the organisation’s goals. For instance if creativity is a motivation, you may find yourself drawn to more creative elements of your role. Perhaps a conversation about how you can contribute to writing and designing more in your role follows. If you find a motivation around autonomy is important, this could lead to a conversation about taking the lead on more projects.
“…ensure you are curating a conversation that allows you to talk on a professional level, focusing on your development and how your work can contribute to the organisation’s goals.”
Top tip: use your reflections on what motivates you to help design your development conversation. Try to be specific and clear and focus on your core motivations to ensure you are building a development plan that inspires you.
Accept that motivations can shift and grow with you
What motivated you when you first set out in your not for profit career may be a complete shift from what motivates you to continue in your role today. Everything that shapes and moulds us in life, and the various stages we go through in our careers, will move and change – that’s part of the fun! So if your motivations have evolved it’s time to confront what is important to you where you are now. If balance is a bigger priority than recognition then being aware of that can help you make decisions on what projects to pursue. If innovating and learning has become more important than following good process, this can help you understand which elements of your role are going to be more of a drawcard. Self-awareness is key and acceptance of the change is an important step. It’s ok for what gets us out of bed in the morning to evolve over time, with our careers and causes sometimes acting as the focal point and our need to balance our home life being prioritised at other times.
Reflection: look back at the three motivations you chose. Are they ones that reflect your career, the cause you’re working for, or do they take a holistic approach for your whole life, work and home combined?
Are you looking for some support achieving your professional goals this year? Would you find it helpful to have a conversation about your motivations? Get in touch with our team to find out how we can work with you.