The Difference Between Motivation and Inspiration, and a Leader's Role In Both.

The concepts of inspiration and motivation are usually at the top of the list of what leaders are a part of. Inspiration and motivation are related concepts, but they refer to slightly different things. I have written on both previously. To understand more about motivation, refer to What is Motivation to get a foundational understanding of how I see motivation. I see inspiration as the fuel for motivation.

Let’s look at these two concepts again, and connect them together as part of every leader’s role.

Inspiration

Inspiration is the process of being stimulated to do or feel something, especially in a creative or artistic fashion. It is often described as a feeling of excitement or enthusiasm that leads to the creation of new ideas, projects, or works. Inspiration is often seen as something that comes from within or from external sources, such as a personal experience, a video, or a conversation with another person. This is the ‘get up and go’ sense you get when hearing a great vision, or hearing a speaker that really connects with you.

Motivation

Motivation, on the other hand, refers to the driving force that prompts a person to act or to achieve a goal. It can be described as the internal or external factors that influence a person to take action towards a desired outcome. Motivation can be broken down into two main types: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation comes from within, such as a personal interest or enjoyment in a task, while extrinsic motivation comes from external factors such as rewards or punishment. Intrinsic motivation will always yield better and longer lasting results. The more you want to do something, the better you will perform.

Connecting the two

A leader’s role is to inspire their team, so they are motivated (intrinsically) to reach the vision as described. I will argue that leaders do not motivate, they can only inspire and set the stage for that internal motivation to well to the surface and push individuals forward to achieve great things. External or extrinsic motivators may be established by the leader, such as bonus plans and expectations, but those are not the real fuel for moving beyond large obstacles. However, many people are driven by those extrinsic attributes, and they will serve effectively to ensure a balance is present to align the team.

Defining and sharing a clear vision becomes the best way for leaders to inspire their team. Then, through ongoing and consistent behaviors supporting the vision, inspiration can continue to grow. The presence of continual inspiration ensures a steady flow of new ideas and creative approaches to the inevitable challenges that any project, goal, or strategy will face over time. The energy from innovation and seeing progress only serves to strengthen the motivation to ultimately achieve the desired outcome.

Using these two powerful forces together allows leaders to engage their team from both sides of the ‘get it done’ equation. Having a good understanding of what drives and moves your team forward will serve any leader well. This ensures their messaging remains inspirational, and creates a sense of motivation to connect the team to the vision and goals of the team.

How can you inspire your team to motivate them into the actions and outcomes to deliver on your vision?

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Photo by Marek Piwnicki on Unsplash