Learning from Indonesia's National Football Team (Part 3)

New Perspective of Team Motivation

 

 

This will be the last part of my Indonesia’s Timnas note, hopefully a shorter one this time, since I tend to write a bit lengthy on the previous note, sorry for that :D

 

The second part of the final game is really a challenge for the Timnas, I can’t imagine the burden and the pressure rested on the Timnas for them to be able to beat the Malaysia and win the final still.  Hopes and prays from the fans supporting Timnas filling all the news in TV, newspaper, facebook, twitter, and all the possible media channel.

 

Among all that I’ve heard on the news, I noticed that the Timnas has also been mentioned, being promised a significant amount of rewards (I should’ve written money instead) if they are successful on the second game of final.

I could understand that money has always been a great motivator for all of us.  A lot of companies have a scheme for bonuses, rewards, sales incentives program, projects bonuses for their employees, but are there more to this?

 

More Factors to Motivation

 

As truth still there to the statements that money is a great motivator, there are still also another aspect of this.

 

Listening to Daniel Pink on the YouTube video, he argues that as long as the task involved used only mechanical skill, bonuses worked as expected; higher pay = better performance. 

But when it comes to a work requiring more complex cognitive skills, this is not the case; a larger reward might even lead to poorer performance.

There are three factors according to Pink, that lead to better performance and personal satisfaction.

 

Autonomy, the desire to be self directed.  Tradition notions management might not be aligned to this. But if engagement is required, then self directed is an aspect to be considered.

Mastery, is the urge to be better at something. Because it is fun and challenging to be able to be better at something.

Purpose, companies that are flourishing are animated by purpose. We like to be able to work at something that makes us a better person, and makes the world a little bit better as well.

Now, do you think that on the Timnas case, the three factors mentioned by Pink above is the true driving factor for the team? Or do you think that money can play it’s magic again as always ?

Reference:

• YouTube, Daniel Pink RSA video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc
• Daniel Pink website, www.danpink.com
• Photo taken from www.antaraphoto.com and Daniel Pink RSA YouTube video.