According to Apter[1], motivation expresses itself in four ways: Relationships, rules, transactions and means. Everyone has preferences here, but at the same time, living a healthy life entails experiencing every type of these. The types are formed by pairs of opposites. For example, there are two sides to a "relationship": a self-oriented and an other-oriented one. One cannot act in both ways at the same time; however, a "reversal" can occur in which "the opposite state takes over at that moment." Apter concludes that people should "experience all these states at work, and in this way to display motivational versatility and psychodiversity, especially since organizations tend to privilege the serious, conformist, and achievement states.” [2]
Contents
Case study: Personalities, attitudes, polarities
A team established a cross-generational club in their community. Two team members talk about their intrinsic motivations - why they are active in this project:
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Team member 1: I want
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Team member 2: I want
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The motivation profiles for both team members are quite different:
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Team member 1 |
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Feeling self-sufficiency Playfulness Gaining influence Following the plan |
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Supporting others Envisionsing results Deepening personal relations Shaping something new |
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Team member 2 |
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Feeling self-sufficiency Playfulness Gaining influence Following the plan |
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Supporting others Envisionsing results Deepening personal relations Shaping something new |
Reversal Training
Reversal training is setting learning challenges, grounding on a reflection of their preferred motivational style. For example, a facilitator can help a participant who has a strong tendency to take control by encouraging him to experience an affectionate state of mind or to stimulate a different motivational pair with a specific task. Especially individual settings like coaching or mentoring seem to be helpful for such reversal training. [3]
Some people's predispositions support a group process in a training. People who tend to be “other-oriented” instead of “self-oriented” may be better suited to working on common outcomes. Also, having a “playful” approach may help you to deepen the relationship to other participants (in contrast to concentrating primarily on achievements). These people make your life as a facilitator easier. However, there are as well the other ones. They want as well benefit from a comfortable learning atmosphere. Seen through this lens, the idea of reversal training advocates for diversity of methods and styles of facilitation.
References
- ↑ http://michaelapter.net/
- ↑ M. J. Apter, S. Carter: Mentoring and motivational versatility: an exploration of reversal theory in Career Development International 7/5 [2002]; p. 293
- ↑ N. Zimmermann: Mentoring Handbook - Providing Systemic Support for Mentees and Their Projects; Berlin 2012; MitOst; ISBN 978-3-944012-00-1
Handbook for Facilitators: Steps toward Action
M. Gawinek-Dagargulia (ed.), N. Zimmermann (ed.), E. Skowron (ed.) (2016). Steps toward action. Empowerment for self-responsible initiative. Help your learners to discover their vision and to turn it into concrete civic engagement. Competendo Handbook for Facilitators.
Nils-Eyk Zimmermann
Editor of Competendo. He writes and works on the topics: active citizenship, civil society, digital transformation, non-formal and lifelong learning, capacity building. Coordinator of European projects, in example DIGIT-AL Digital Transformation in Adult Learning for Active Citizenship, DARE network.
Blogs here: Blog: Civil Resilience.
Email: nils.zimmermann@dare-network.eu
