Research reveals that mindset in humans tends to take two forms, ‘task involved’ meaning concerned with their personal improvement and mastery of skills, and ‘ego involved’ in which they judge such by comparison and believe talent to be inherent and fixed. Furthermore, research identifies a relationship between ego and the amount of effort expended in task mastery. Both forms of mindset influence the individual choice, in relation to performance which may increase or dwindle. .

Task involved people will confront challenges, show high energy and great persistence. Ego involved people will often put in less effort and be less tenacious, especially if they fear failure.

So, what does this mean in terms of creating a motivational climate that encourages all genres of mindsets to thrive and generate a strong sense of positivity?

It is possible, by the way in which your performance improvement programme mechanics are structured and communicated, to develop an environment within the programme community that allows both ego and task-based personalities to comfortably co-exist.

The TARGET model, developed by Epstein in 1989 offers guidance.

· Focus on the Best and Most Improved - You can create both a task and ego environment by monitoring and commenting on task achievement. By praising and recognizing task improvement on an individual basis that’s meaningful, even if it’s mastering a skill they haven’t quite got yet, or, for attempting something they haven’t previously done. Equally, rather than just recognizing the best performers, which could undermine the ego driven, focus on overall team performance and the most improved contributors.

· Encourage Ownership – Instead of handing down all aspects of the programme as tablets of stone (an ego driven approach), invite and encourage contribution, develop on-going dialogues, make participants the driver and feel they own it and can shape it. Viewing through their lens allows you to understand what they feel and will help them to modify and enhance positive behaviors.

· Peer to Peer Recognition - In a task environment, private acknowledgement of improvement made by management enables the ego driven not to face comparison. Support with an employee recognition platform which allows for acknowledgement by colleagues of a job well done, providing peer group praise.

· Group by Ability and Focus on Improvement - Grouping participants based upon location or task scale can damage the motivational environment. Ideally, to encourage the less effective to become more effective, if grouping is required, it needs doing by ability range at commencement. As improvement is attained, individuals can and should be encouraged to move up through groups.

· Evaluate by Commitment and Efforts as well as Outcomes – Performance programmes should provide constant evaluation and feedback, rather than being based on normative standards. They should reflect personal comparison, and include the individual’s assessment of support needed for further improvement and personal commitment to meet the objective for future growth and development.

· Expend Time and Budget on Recognising Top Performers and Lifting the Average for Maximum ROI - An ego inspired environment assumes all progress and understanding is at the same rate. However, applying a task setting means devoting more time and being flexible in ensuring that in the understanding and the consequent delivery against them, more time is spent with those who need it most. Top performers can always squeeze a little more out, but the average and below average offer the greatest opportunity to transform the overall levels of achievement.

Helping develop positive participant mindsets is a key element of Neon Agency’s performance improvement process, for employees and brand ambassadors in business partners, we call it Optimum Performance.

Find out more about our employee engagement software to help improve your business.

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