Blog Post: What's Your Core Motive?

"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work."   Aristotle
 
Have you ever thought about what motivates you? What gets—and keeps—you going?  Some people are motivated by money.  Some are motivated by the challenge of the project at hand.  Some people find meaning in what they do. When we know WHY we do something, we can use that information to accomplish more.
 
Knowing what motivates us will help us achieve our goals, both personal and professional. It also is a powerful way to strengthen and understand your relationships with others. Unfortunately, knowing WHAT your motivation is remains one tantalizing step away from understanding your driving core motive.

I was able to identify my driving core motive several years ago when we introduced Color Code at my organization through our leadership program.  The Color Code is different from other tests and assessments in that it helps you understand the WHY of what you do versus simply what you do. It has helped me understand my supervisor much better and the WHY of his actions.
Can I use this to improve my relationship with my supervisor? My teammates? Certainly can. Does it help in communicating with them? Certainly does.
 
Let's think beyond the job, to getting a job.  An interview question being highlighted in many career transition discussions is: "What motivates you?" Why is this a tough question for some people to answer, even with some preparation and practice?  I suggest that it's because knowing what motivates you from one project to another only goes so far.  You tend to consider many variables about the project itself, not so much about you.  What if you get that question in a networking session, where you aren't necessarily prepared for it?  To be able to think on the fly, to be able to answer the question from the heart, not the brain, comes from knowing the WHY behind your motivation -- your core driving motive.
 
I became so interested in this program that I attended and received certification to teach the program to others. I just wish I had known about this program and learned how to apply the teachings many years sooner. It truly makes a difference in developing your relationships in both your personal and work life.
 
Next month, ASTD-Orange County is offering you a chance to learn more about your driving core motive.  It has paired with Color Code to offer the first in a series of low-cost workshops for its members.  You can find the complete course details, including venue, time, and cost (spoiler: it's only $20!), on our website.