Motivation at Work: Myths, Models, and Measurable Impact

Claire Monroe

Welcome back to The Science of Leading. I’m Claire Monroe, here—as always—with Edwin Carrington. Today, we're diving into something that seems like it should be simple to define, but somehow it always slips sideways the moment you try to pin it down at work: motivation.And more specifically—what actually drives people to show up, lean in, and, like… actually care.Edwin, kick us off—how do you explain motivation in organizational psychology terms, compared to just… I don’t know, engagement?

Edwin Carrington

That’s a good distinction to start with. Motivation is about what fuels behavior from the inside—the psychological engine, if you will. It’s why someone chooses to give effort here, instead of over there.Engagement, on the other hand, is more external—it’s the visible behavior. Are they attentive? Are they putting in effort?But you can have people who look engaged and are secretly drained. Because if the motivation underneath is fear… or pressure… that energy won’t last. It burns out.

Claire Monroe

Right—so it’s like… you’ve got a launch team sprinting like crazy, but it’s only because they’re terrified of missing the deadline. Not because they believe in the product or the purpose behind it.So even if engagement looks high on paper, motivation kinda tells you if it’s real, or if it’s gonna fall apart later. Is that what you mean?

Edwin Carrington

Exactly. Motivation is what predicts persistence. Why people stick with the hard things.And when people are motivated from the right place, everything changes—creativity, performance, resilience.Amabile’s research showed that. And we’ve seen it firsthand at OAD—those people stay longer, contribute more, and raise the game for everyone around them.

Claire Monroe

Okay, so let’s go deeper—because anytime motivation comes up, there’s this… split.Some folks are like, “Make the work meaningful!”And others go, “Nope—just give bonuses.”But the truth is, it’s more layered than that, right?Can you unpack the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation—and maybe bring in some of those classic frameworks, like Self-Determination or Herzberg?

Edwin Carrington

Sure. Intrinsic motivation is when the work itself feels rewarding. You’re not chasing a prize—you’re engaged because it’s interesting, or meaningful, or it helps you grow.Self-Determination Theory really lays that out—autonomy, mastery, and relatedness.Then you’ve got Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory. That says some things—like pay, or decent working conditions—just prevent dissatisfaction. But they don’t spark motivation.The motivators? That’s where you find purpose, growth, recognition.And if you look at Vroom’s Expectancy Theory, motivation also depends on whether people believe their effort leads to real results—and whether those results actually matter to them.Maslow reminds us of the basics: if someone’s dealing with psychological insecurity or poor belonging, you’re not going to motivate them with stretch goals.

Claire Monroe

Yeah… that really tracks.When I think back to the jobs where I thrived, it wasn’t the perks. I mean, yeah—fair pay matters—but it was the places where I had real freedom.I remember one role where they let me choose my projects. Experiment. Take stuff from idea to execution. I felt like I owned the work.And then there was another job—great salary—but I was just… grinding through Jira tickets. No say in what mattered. And even though I should’ve felt motivated… I didn’t.So, same tasks, maybe, but totally different emotional experience depending on the setup.

Edwin Carrington

That’s it.You can have two engineers with identical skill sets—and one’s innovating while the other’s coasting.The difference? One feels trusted, valued, connected. The other doesn’t.And it’s not about micromanaging behavior—it’s about building the kind of environment that lets people plug into purpose. That’s the only way motivation sustains beyond the next project deadline.

Claire Monroe

So let’s land this in the real world.We’ve got all these theories—Self-Determination, Herzberg, Expectancy, Maslow… but what does any of it actually look like if you’re a manager, or a team lead, trying to fire people up on, like, Monday morning?

Edwin Carrington

Great question. One place to start is Goal-Setting Theory—Locke and Latham’s work.If you set clear, challenging goals with your team—not for them—you see commitment go up.Back that with real feedback and autonomy over how to hit the goals, and now you’ve got a motivational engine.Layer in growth support—mentorship, upskilling, reflective check-ins—and you’re not just pushing for output. You’re developing people. And that sticks.

Claire Monroe

Yeah… and sometimes it’s about space, too, right?I think about Google’s “20% time”—that wasn’t just a perk. It was a signal: We trust your curiosity.Or Netflix, where recognition is built into how people operate. Like, not just bonuses, but real-time feedback and clear praise for great work.It’s structured, but it’s also… alive. Those systems feel motivating.

Edwin Carrington

Exactly. They’re scaffolding intrinsic motivation.What too many organizations do is rely on blunt tools—bonuses, gimmicks, pizza parties.I remember a manager who thought the annual bonus was the holy grail. He optimized everything around it.And guess what? His team did the minimum required to qualify. Turnover went up. Trust went down.He built a compliance culture—not a motivated one.

Claire Monroe

Totally. And sometimes those rewards actually backfire.I’ve seen teams work themselves into the ground for a year-end bonus… and then totally disengage after.It’s like—you created a sprint, not a system.The best leaders I’ve worked with? They’re not dangling carrots. They’re asking, “How do we create clarity, challenge, and meaning consistently?”But it’s so easy to forget that, especially under pressure.

Edwin Carrington

That’s the trap.When you’re under the gun, short-term levers feel tempting.But over time, extrinsic rewards without the deeper layers create noise, not momentum.People stop solving problems—they start gaming systems.So, if you want to build durable motivation, it has to rest on trust, growth, purpose.Not perks.

Claire Monroe

Right. Because if the foundation’s shaky—no clarity, no trust, no real connection to the work—then all the bonuses in the world won’t save you.Especially when things get rocky. That’s when people start checking out. Quietly.And we’ve seen it—teams look productive on the outside, but underneath? Disengagement, burnout, resentment…

Edwin Carrington

Exactly.Motivation isn’t something you “solve.” It’s something you tend.Smart organizations treat it like an operating system: you measure it, tweak it, improve it—continuously.

Claire Monroe

Okay—so for anyone listening who’s thinking, “Alright… I get it in theory. But what can I actually do about this?”Where do they begin? Like, what are the levers—at the org level, manager level, team level?

Edwin Carrington

At the organizational level, it’s about alignment.Do your systems—performance, feedback, recognition—match the culture you say you want?If you preach innovation but punish risk-taking, people won’t stretch.Psychological safety is foundational.Without it, motivation shifts into survival mode.

Claire Monroe

And managers? Where do they most often trip up?

Edwin Carrington

Skipping the basics.No clear role expectations. No coaching. No recognition beyond the generic.Managers who check in regularly—not just on progress, but well-being—see the difference.And when they coach instead of control, it builds trust.Even something as small as recognizing the why behind someone’s work—versus just the output—changes how it lands.

Claire Monroe

And teams—oh man.The best ones I’ve seen kind of self-regulate.They have their own shared norms, feedback rhythms, ways of lifting each other up.There’s ownership—but also shared pride.

Edwin Carrington

Exactly. Teams that reflect together, not just work together, tend to outperform.Peer feedback. Learning moments. Shared wins. It’s cultural.And on the individual level, motivation’s a muscle.Self-awareness, goal setting, feedback-seeking… these are skills, not traits.

Claire Monroe

Yeah—and the big trap is thinking motivation belongs to HR.Like it’s someone else’s job to “fix.”But when everyone assumes someone else will do it… no one does.And that’s when you get the illusion of engagement—but no depth.

Edwin Carrington

Right. The data backs it up.Once basic needs are met, money stops being the main driver.And fun perks? They fade fast.Real motivation sticks when you build systems that listen—pulse surveys, check-ins—and actually act on what they reveal.Connect those insights to performance, retention, growth… and now motivation becomes a strategic lens.

Claire Monroe

So maybe the real question for leaders is—“How aligned is my culture, my leadership, my everyday behavior… with what actually drives my team?”Not what looks good on paper. Not what worked five years ago.And maybe ask yourself:“When was the last time I asked the team what fuels them—and actually changed something because of it?”

Edwin Carrington

That’s it.Motivation isn’t a fire you light once—it’s one you tend.Consistently. Intentionally.And when you do, it pays off—far beyond this quarter’s targets.

Claire Monroe

Alright—that’s a wrap for this episode.Thanks, Edwin—for the insights.And thanks to all of you listening.If you’re wondering how to put this into action… you can test out OAD’s tools—like behavioral assessments—for free at o-a-d-dot-a-i.It’s a really practical way to improve team fit and understand what drives your people.

Edwin Carrington

Thanks, Claire. Always a pleasure.Until next time, take care—and keep leading with intention.