When we first started MINDSCAPE, I quickly realized I was leading in unfamiliar territory. If I had been completely honest with myself back then—though only in my head—I would have admitted I had no idea what I was doing. Every decision I made was driven by information I consumed from books, articles, and conversations rather than personal experience. It was a foundation built on a blend of learning on the fly and deep-seated insecurity.
Another layer to this challenge was my deeply woven contrarian streak. Whenever someone told me how I “needed to” or “should” approach a situation, it triggered a volcanic surge inside me, pushing me to resist their guidance. This blend of inexperience and defiance eventually collided in a pivotal leadership moment that shaped my understanding of motivation and how crucial it is to team success.
The Leadership Lesson I Never Expected
As MINDSCAPE began gaining traction, a new type of anxiety took root. I found myself consumed with worry about how to keep my team happy and engaged as we grew. I’d wake in the middle of the night staring at the ceiling, haunted by questions like: Are my team members getting what they need to stay motivated? What if they leave just as we’re hitting our stride?
Finally, I decided to take action. I scheduled one-on-one conversations with each team member to better understand what truly motivated them—not just what they did for us but what they wanted for themselves. I wanted to explore their deeper aspirations and how their work connected to their personal growth.
One of the first conversations was with a developer responsible for building the websites my business partner and I were selling. When I asked about his ideal role, he described wanting to be a software architect—someone who could come to work, grab a coffee, and collaborate with fellow developers to design solutions that were both effective and issue-free for our clients.
It wasn’t an unreasonable desire, but what he said next stopped me in my tracks:
“I understand that this opportunity will likely never exist here at MINDSCAPE, but I’m content with what I’m doing here for now and believe I will be for a while.”
The Contrarian Wake-Up Call
Every fiber of my being resisted his statement—not out of anger but because it felt like a challenge to what was possible for MINDSCAPE. His words struck a nerve and made me realize just how critical it was to understand the motivations of my team. If I truly wanted to build a strong, stable team, I couldn’t afford to be in the dark about what fueled their engagement and satisfaction.
That conversation sparked a shift in my leadership approach. I became determined to stay connected to the personal aspirations of my team members and ensure we were creating opportunities that aligned with those motivations where possible.
Six Months Later: Proof of Growth
About six months after that pivotal conversation, I sat down with the same team member again—this time to congratulate him on his promotion to Senior Architect. As we reflected on our earlier discussion, we both felt a sense of accomplishment. What he once believed was impossible had become a reality in just half a year.
The key wasn’t just creating a new role—it was understanding what motivated him and aligning it with the evolving needs of the organization. This clarity allowed us to make strategic decisions that benefited both the individual and the company as a whole.
Leadership Insight: Motivation Matters, But Balance is Key
This experience taught me a profound leadership lesson: Understanding your team’s motivations empowers better decision-making and fosters deeper engagement. However, this doesn’t mean letting individual desires dictate the entire direction of the company. As teams grow, individual motivations will naturally vary, sometimes even conflicting with one another.
The leadership challenge isn’t about meeting every individual desire but about navigating decisions with clarity—acknowledging motivations while balancing them with the organization’s broader mission and goals.
Action Steps for Leaders: Engage Beyond the Surface
If you’re looking to build a motivated and cohesive team, consider these steps:
- Ask Deeper Questions: Move beyond surface-level conversations about job performance. Ask team members what truly excites them, what they hope to achieve, and how their current role fits into their bigger picture.
- Link Work to Personal Growth: Help team members see how their current projects contribute to their long-term aspirations. This makes their work more personally meaningful.
- Challenge Assumptions: If someone believes a certain opportunity doesn’t exist in your organization, explore why they think that and whether it’s something that could evolve with the right growth.
- Balance Motivation with Strategy: Acknowledge personal motivations while keeping the company’s strategic goals in focus. Finding alignment between both is the sweet spot for long-term success.
- Follow Up: Revisiting these conversations periodically shows your ongoing commitment to their growth and keeps motivation conversations relevant as the company evolves.
Final Thought: The Power of Awareness
Leading effectively is about more than making decisions from a place of authority—it’s about making decisions informed by awareness of what drives your team. When you understand what motivates your people, you’re not just building a company; you’re building a culture where personal growth and organizational success go hand-in-hand. By engaging beyond the surface and tapping into personal ambitions, you create a workplace where both the people and the business thrive. What can you learn about your team today that could shape the future of your organization?