How Motivational Focus Drives Performance

Every person is motivated differently. Great managers know this and adjust their leadership style based on motivations. In her book Focus, Heidi Grant Halvorson identifies two types of motivational focus that drive behaviors. She groups people as:

Promotion-focused. People motivated by promotion want to advance and avoid missed opportunities. They see goals as a path for advancement. They are eager, comfortable taking chances, work quickly, dream big, think creatively, and play to win. Unfortunately, they can be prone to error, may not think things through, and can be unprepared if things go wrong.

Prevention-focused. These individuals see goals as responsibilities and concentrate on staying safe. They worry what might go wrong and play to not lose. They work slowly and meticulously, aren't the most creative, but often have excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.

By understanding your focus and that of others, leaders have the power to better motivate themselves and everyone around them.

In this interactive HBR webinar, Heidi Grant Halvorson explains how to identify a person's motivational focus, how to change this focus, and how to use it in the right way to get results.