Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
By Melanie Lockwood Herman
Resource Type: Risk eNews
Topic: HR Risk and Employment Practices, Organizational Culture
Have you ever spent an entire day searching for motivation to complete a few simple tasks? Whether your to-do list includes a few loads of laundry, the resorting of your sock drawer, or a report your board has requested repeatedly, feeling demotivated–and guilt-ridden because of it–is a familiar emotion for most. Or perhaps you’ve experienced the opposite–a rush of frenetic can-do energy that fuels your completion of multiple tasks along with the supreme sense of satisfaction that accompanies accomplishing something.
This week I’ve been reading Payoff: The Hidden Logic That Shapes Our Motivations, a “small book with big ideas” from TED books that promises a tour of the “jungle of motivation’s true nature.” As a fan of behavioral psychologist Dan Ariely’s longer-format books (including Predictably Irrational and The Upside of Irrationality), I was a bit skeptical that this teeny book would deliver the big ah-ha moments I’ve come to expect from this author. But Payoff delivers a potent payoff with its salient insights on what motivates and demotivates us. In our experience at NRMC, understanding the inspiration behind workplace motivation–and demotivating behaviors–is key to designing and implementing an effective risk management program in a nonprofit workplace.
Early in Payoff, Ariely explains that beyond helping us get through our every day tasks, true motivation “often drives us to achievements that are difficult, challenging, and even painful.” He reminds us that meaning and happiness are often very different concepts: “the things that give us a sense of meaning don’t necessarily make us happy.” The mistake that many leaders make is to equate momentary pleasure with motivating meaning. The essential quality of meaning, writes Ariely, is “having a sense of purpose, value and impact–of being involved in something bigger than the self.” Nonprofit organizations have a decided advantage when it comes to competing with for-profits to attract and retain high-performing personnel: purpose at the core of the organization’s existence. In my experience, many nonprofits squander the motivating meaning behind their missions by engaging in demotivating behaviors that lead to higher than desirable turnover, low staff engagement, and unproductive behaviors in the workplace.
Read on to boost the sense of payoff at your nonprofit:
Melanie Lockwood Herman is executive director of the Nonprofit Risk Management Center. Melanie welcomes your thoughts and stories about workplace motivation in the nonprofit sector at Melanie@nonprofitrisk.org or 703.777.3504.
“First let me congratulate you on a conference well done. I had a great time at the Nonprofit Employee Benefits Conference and walked away with some valuable tools and questions that we’ll need to be addressing in both the short and long term. Thanks to you and your staff for all you do to provide us with quality resources in support of our missions.”
“BBYO’s engagement of the Center to conduct a risk assessment was one of the most valuable processes undertaken over the past five years. Numerous programmatic and procedural changes were recommended and have since been implemented. Additionally, dozens (literally) of insurance coverage gaps were identified that would never have been without the work of the Center. This assessment led to a broker bidding process that resulted in BBYO’s selection of a new broker that we have been extremely satisfied with. I unconditionally recommend the Center for their consultative services.
“Melanie Herman has provided expert, insightful, timely and well resourced information to our Executive Team and Board of Directors. Our corporation recently experienced massive growth through merger and the Board has been working to better integrate their expanded set of roles and responsibilities. Melanie presented at our Annual Board of Director’s Retreat and captured the interest of our Board members. As a result of her excellent presentation the Board has engaged in focused review which is having immediate effects on governance.”
“The Nonprofit Risk Management Center has been an outstanding partner for us. They are attentive to our needs, and work hard to successfully meet our requests for information. Being an Affiliate member gave us access to so many time- and money-saving resources that it easily paid for itself! Nonprofit Risk Management Center is truly a valued partner of The Community Foundation of Elkhart County and we are continuously able to optimize staff time with the support given by their team.”
“The board and staff of the Prince George’s Child Resource Center are extremely pleased with the results of the risk assessment conducted by the Nonprofit Risk Management Center. A thorough scan revealed that while we are a well run organization, we had risks that we never imagined. We are grateful to know that we have now minimized our organizational risks and we recommend the Center to other nonprofits.”
Great American Insurance Group’s Specialty Human Services is committed to protecting those who improve your communities. The Center team has committed to delivering dynamic risk management solutions tailored to nonprofit organizations. These organizations have many and varied risk issues, hence the need for specialized coverage and expert knowledge for their protection. We’ve had Melanie speak on several occasions to employees and our agents. She is always on point and delivers such great value. Thank you for the terrific partnership and allowing our nonprofits to focus on their mission!