Interview with Sebastian Körber on the topic of motivation

“I’m not motivated at all today” – each and every one of us have probably said or at least heard this sentence several times before. But what does it actually mean? What is motivation exactly and how can you get it back, when you feel like you've lost it? 

We were given the opportunity to interview motivational speaker Sebastian Körber on this precise topic. Sebastian Körber has been working with companies and private individuals for over 20 years who want to make the most out of their team, themselves and life in general. 

The difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation

Before we take a look into how to deal with lack of motivation in ourselves or others, we should first explore what motivation is exactly. The term motivation is derived from the Latin word “movere”, meaning to move.

In other words, whoever is motivated moves - be it mentally or physically.

However, motivation does not always equal motivation, as there are two types and we can only really influence one of them.

Extrinsic motivation

In extrinsic motivation the incentive to move comes from the outside. So, for example, if we plan to lose weight we tend to hire a fitness trainer who will regularly push us to exercise. This way, even if we do not feel like working out, our trainer will force us to go for a run or to the gym on the set dates. Sure, this way may be effective and we will certainly see results over time, however what is missing is our own will and drive to move. As our motivation here comes "extrinsically" from another person and only results from a feeling that we have to change something about ourselves, but already knowing from the get-go that we cannot will ourselves to do it on our own.

Intrinsic motivation

With intrinsic motivation on the other hand, something happens out of our own passion and joy. Sure, we have all gotten to know people who seem to be endlessly motivated in the present, but we tend to forget that we ourselves have been one of those people in the past.

Children always want to move, explore, and learn something new - be it to run, talk, or simply discover the world. In short: children enjoy life and to be able to learn. Unfortunately, this joy often disappears when they enter the school system, as this is usually the time when they are given certain rules and guidelines that do not match their intrinsic motivation. In this setting their teacher tries to summon a desire to learn through extrinsic motivation. For example, through praise or good grades, but this type of motivation will never be equal to the motivation a child has when it wants to learn something through their own interest.

If we don't manage to break this cycle from an early age, this process will continue as we grow up and enter work life. This is particularly clear in moments when we insistently press the snooze button on our alarm clock in the morning and can’t find the will to get up. Usually we end up getting up anyway, but merely because our employment contract obliges us to start work at a certain time – clearly extrinsic motivation. However, if we enjoy getting up and getting to work without hesitation, it is because we enjoy our job and are excited to work on a project. This happens out of intrinsic motivation.

“The Circle of Influence”: How to make the most of a difficult situation and unleash your motivation

Still, there are always days when nothing seems to be going your way. Your alarm clock doesn't ring, every traffic light on the way to work is red and then you find out that the colleague you are working on a project with is on sick leave for a week. All viable reasons to write off the entire day and completely lose your motivation, right? For the majority of people that would certainly be the case! However,what we have to be aware of, is that we are always in a certain area of ​​influence, made out of various factors that we can either influence to different degrees or just need to accept and make the most out of.

Stephen R. Covey calls this model the “Circle of Influence / COI”. In this model, he describes two areas of influential factors that we are exposed to in our lives: the area of ​​concern and the area of ​​influence.

Inside the “Circle of Influence” is the core, in which we can act and react. It starts with the small decisions in life: What should I wear? What should I have for breakfast? What music do I want to listen to on the way to work?

In addition to these things, there are also factors that we cannot influence. This includes the weather, the punctuality of the train, but also more recently the outbreak of the corona pandemic. These factors are situated in the “Outer Circle - Circle of Frustration” of the COI. Disgruntled people waste most of their life and energy getting upset about all these things and, to put it simply, let these ruin their day or even their life. But even though they invest all their valuable energy in anger against the weather, the corona pandemic or traffic, none of these things ever change. According to Körber, unhappy people simply flush their valuable energy down the toilet without ever trying to change the cause of their anger.

On the other hand, people who concentrate on the things they can influence and recognize their self-efficacy are generally happy and more driven. Covey calls this area the "Circle of Influence". This is located between the "Circle of Frustration" and the "Inner Circle".

Körber takes this opportunity to quote Eckart Tolle:
„If you are out there you cannot change anything about the situation, the only way to deal with it is nonresistance of what is.” Meaning that a situation that comes from the outer circle does in fact exist, is present in your life and may also be stressful. However, all you should and can do is accept the situation and focus on the things that you can actually influence. There is no point in becoming upset about the corona pandemic, having to wear a mask, bad weather or making yourself victim of a situation. At the end of the day this only leads to a loss of energy as well as a decrease in your quality of life, without changing the situation.

One piece of advice that Sebastian Körber gives to help you  be able to leave this Outer Circle of constant complaint is the following: "Treat a (bad) situation as if you yourself have chosen it”. At best, this not only means that you find a way to endure a seemingly unalterable event, but that you can draw something positive from the situation - for example, a new business idea during the corona pandemic.

That is the key to motivation.

How can you motivate your employees?

Now that we know that only we ourselves can influence our own thoughts, the question arises as to whether an employer can motivate his employees at all, if they are not already motivated on their own accord.

Generally, a team lead or managing director should always observe the mood within his team. If it becomes clear that employees are just sitting listlessly at work, waiting for the clock to hit 6 p.m., an honest conversation can be of help. It should be discussed why individuals seem to have low energy at work and whether, for example, a change in external conditions could help them regain joy in what they do.

When people were first sent into home office at the beginning of the corona pandemic, it became quite apparent how motivated, or what type of motivation, they had whilst working.

In our interview, Körber explains that crises are always a reflection and accelerator of the prevailing corporate culture. If the atmosphere within a company is bad, working from home will not change a thing, most likely the work will be carried out slower. However, if a company has a functioning and positive corporate culture, a crisis will also accelerate these dynamics, and this will be reflected in the work achieved.

At the beginning of the lockdown, it could be observed that this new found freedom within one’s job was largely perceived on a positive note. In many cases, being sent into home office also meant the opportunity to work flextime, giving employees the opportunity to decide when they start work. The result of this new type of freedom was impressive: most employees voluntarily worked more than stated within their work contracts.

But there were also employees who did not feel comfortable with this new freedom, who would have preferred to get back to their regular office routine.

Sebastian Körber explains these differences using the following example:

The type of freedom that for instance is available to everyone within their workplace can be compared to a football field. Some people need a lot of space and breathing room to develop and work within their full potential, if they are restricted or feel they are being scrutinized too closely, e.g. through strict working times or too many regulations, they lose interest in their job and eventually won’t be as motivated anymore.

However, this is also possible the other way round: if you give a person who needs the security of procedures and structure too much space, they feel anxious, can no longer stay focused and begin to get distracted.

It therefore largely depends on each individual under which circumstances they can work well and which they cannot. In any case, this should be assessed through observation, self-reflection and open discussions. Once it is clear how the employee can give his most at work and if the situation allows it, the working conditions should be adapted accordingly.

What can I do if my manager is unmotivated?

Employees have significantly less influence on the working conditions of their boss. You cannot give him the option of working from home nor can you offer him more flexible working hours.

Nevertheless, here it is also important to being by starting  a conversation about the situation. A manager is also a person with needs, which in this case might be met by employees or superiors. It may be that  your boss is missing feedback from his team or that he has private issues that need to be dealt with. Ideally, either of these instances can be clarified and resolved through an open dialogue.

Should you later feel like there has been no change in the behavior of your superior or they are not willing to have a conversion, it is advisable to seek contact to the next level of management, such as the managing director. If these measures also result with no change, Körber would in fact advise to prioritize your needs and look for a position within a new company.

You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with

If we surround ourselves with unenthusiastic people, we unconsciously begin to mirror their behavior. An unmotivated person can frustrate an entire team or inspire other co-workers with their passion. This shows what a high influence other people’s behavior has on our own.

How does a lack of motivation differ from the onset of depression?

To differentiate from an impending depression and a lack of motivation may seem difficult at first. Sebastian Körber is a clinical psychologist and explains that a depressive mood can first be recognized by decreasing muscle tone. Do you suspect the onset of a depression in someone you know? This checklist can help you find out if the person needs help:

• Has the person's facial expressions and movements decreased? Have they stopped gesturing while telling a story?
• Is the person speaking slower, quieter, and answering in a monotone manner?
• Do you have the feeling that the person is sucking energy out of you and you feel like interactions with them drain and exhaust you?
• Does the person complain frequently and tend to play the victim in every situation?
• In conversation do you notice a tendency to focus on things that don't work and that can't be changed?

If you think that you, your colleague, or employee may need help or support, try to seek out a conversation with them and repeatedly offer your help.

Motivation, in a nutshell.

Make yourself aware that motivation always comes from within and cannot be created willfully. However, fruitful discussions as well as actions can inspire you and give you the chance to regain your motivation. It is important that you make yourself aware of which circumstances in your life can be changed and influenced and which cannot. If you concentrate on the factors that have a positive influence on your mindset, you will be able to keep your own motivation on a high level and make the best out of any situation life may throw at you.