The difference between engagement and motivation matters. Heres why

The difference between engagement and motivation matters. Heres whyThe difference between engagement and motivation matters. Heres whyDuring my presentations on the science of motivation, I am almost always asked to explain the difference between motivation and engagement. Its a fair question. I challenge you to read five business blogs without running across tons of data on the value of anengaged workforce- and the dismal engagement scores of employees worldwide. However, if you ask most executives a critical question, they rarely have an adequate answer How do people become engaged or disengaged in the first place?Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreExecutives are spending millions of dollars to improve engagement without understanding how an individual becomes engaged or disengaged.In 2007, Dr. Drea Zigarmi and his gruppe of researchers embarked on a mission Discover the root ca use of engagement. Twelve years later, theiraward-winning researchsuggests a credible psychological theory about how engagement is formed. Their journey of unraveling the mystery of engagement intersected with my journey of applying motivation science.Empirical proof for a 4th level of engagementZigarmis team presentsempirical evidencefor a fourth form of engagement on the continuum of disengagement, disengagement, and engagementemployee work passion.Referred to asEWP, employee work passion is a persistent, emotionally positive, meaning-based state of well-being stemming from reoccurring cognitive and emotional appraisals of various job and organizational situations that result in consistent, constructive, work intentions and behaviors.EWP is characterized by five positive intentionsPerforms above standard expectationsUses discretionary effort on behalf of the organizationEndorses the organization and its leadership to others outside the organizationUses altruistic citizenship behav iors toward all stakeholdersStays with the organizationOrganizational and job factors improve EWP scoresResearchers found that when12 factorsin the organization are operational, Individuals are more likely to demonstrate the five positive intentions of EWP.Good to know. You can improve EWP scores by focusing on organizational and job factors such as job designs workload balance distributive and procedural justice and strategies for career and job growth.The problem? Changing organizations can be like turning the Queen Mary - systemic improvements take time, effort and big budgets. And, you need to improve engagement now.This realization led me to ponder What if wetaught peopleto manage their own internal process that leads to EWP? What if wetaught leadershow to facilitate that internal process?This is wheremotivation scienceintervened.If EWP is the question, motivation is the answerHow do you foster EWP? Through daily doses of optimal motivation.The type of motivation you experienc e everyday matters. Motivation is the energy to act - it is at the heart of everything you do and dont do. But not all motivation is created equal. Some motivation is high-quality and optimal. Some motivation is low-quality and suboptimal. Like when you eat a handful of almonds and generate high-quality energy that sustains you for hours versus downing a candy bar that shoots your blood sugar to the moon before you crash.Optimal motivation fuels engagement and EWP.Optimal motivation is equivalent to eating the handful of almonds - its the positive energy, vitality and sense of well-being required to pursue, achieve, and sustain meaningful goals while thriving. You create optimal motivation through aligning with values, connecting to purpose, and the pure joy of doing something without the need for an external reward. Abundant research proves that optimal motivation leads to higher creativity, innovation, sustained high performance, and health and well-being.Suboptimal motivation f uels disengagement and active disengagement.Suboptimal motivation is the equivalent to junk-food motivation - you may experience a burst of momentary energy, but suboptimal motivation doesnt generate the type of psychic energy required to thrive or successfully pursue your goals over time. You create suboptimal motivation when you are motivated by rewards, money, power, status, image, fear and pressure. Suboptimal motivation undermines your results, both in the short- and long-term.The connection between motivation and EWP is an evolutionary concept. Motivation is the psychic energy that fuels engagement. Optimal motivation fuels engagement and EWP. Suboptimal motivation fuels disengagement and active disengagement.Bridging the gemeinsame agrarpolitik between motivation and EWPIf EWP, or at least an engaged workforce, is your organizations strategic outcome, then the best tactic is to ensure that people experience optimal motivation every day. Three ways to beginRealize that if eng agement and EWP are the ends motivation is the means.Instead of perpetuating outdated theories such as Maslows hierarchy of needs, Skinners operant conditioning, and traditional top-down and power-based management schemes, get up to speed on the new and compelling science of motivation.Rethinkleadership competenciesbased on good motivation science.For example, help leaders nurture choice, connection and competence - the three psychological needs required for people to achieve their goals and thrive. Instead of driving for results, focus on ways to encourage choice. Instead of disregarding feelings, focus on deepening connection. Instead of emphasizing outcome goals, focus on learning goals that lead to competence.Recognize thatmotivation is a skill.People can learn to identify and shift their current motivational outlook to experience optimal motivation anytime and anyplace by creating choice, connection, and competence. Practicing the skill of motivation may be the quickest and su rest path to EWP.Of course, organizations need to continually improve the factors that encourage work passion, but what if we learn to manage own internal process? What if leaders learn how to create more optimally motivating workplaces? Then when an organization isnt perfect - and we have yet to find one that is - you and those you lead can still experience EWP. That idea alone feels optimally motivatingThis article first appeared on Smartbrief.com.