How To Transform Challenges Into Opportunities

Module 02 - Practical Exercise 02

Reframing Fixed Mindsets As A Tool To Boost Motivation

In Breakout Rooms:

Choose a representative who will share your insights with the group after the breakout rooms are completed.
Read the scenario matching your team’s number.
Propose two to three solutions to increase the level of satisfaction of each of the fundamental needs (aka boost motivation):

Autonomy (2-3 solutions)
Competence (2-3 solutions)
Connection (2-3 solutions)

Each team should propose a total of 5 to 9 ways to boost motivation, that they will be invited to share with the group once we have come back from the breakout rooms.

10 Minutes.

Team #1

Jodie is a junior artist. This is her first job, and she feels she is not up to the challenge. She did well in school and was one of the top students in her class. But now, she is working in a team with many strong artists, and she worries about her talent.

“If I ask for help, the team will know I am not talented enough.”

She does not want to bother her lead constantly, so she is trying to figure everything out by herself. She lags behind in her work, so she decides to work overtime without logging her hours. She feels like she may have made a mistake, and this job might not be for her.

As her supervisor, you must meet with Jodie to help her catch up on her quota and boost her motivation. What do you suggest?

Team #2

Hamid is a supervisor. He meets with the director frequently but does not feel he understands her directions. After every client review, Hamid is left with more questions than before. So Hamid tries to make sense of the notes as much as possible to share the directions with his team.

“If I tell the director I do not understand, she’ll think I’m stupid.”

Hamid’s team feels frustrated by the amount of notes and their inability to get approvals. Hamid feels he does not have what it takes to work with this director.

You are Hamid’s direct supervisor, and you must meet with him to help him increase the approval rate and boost morale for him and his team.

Team #3

You are Jean-Claude, a project manager on your biggest project yet. Your producer is really experienced, but she is micro-managing you and your every task. You would like to prove to her you can take on these challenges. You feel confident in your capacity, but because she is constantly on top of him, you feel she does not trust you. In addition, her constant presence makes you make silly mistakes and hinders your focus and confidence at work.

“Everything must be perfect! We have no room for mistakes,” says his producer.

You are Jean-Claude, and you must meet with your producer to tell her how you feel and to propose a plan to level up your level of motivation and show her the level of your capacities. What do you tell her?

*In this example, Jean-Claude must propose his own solutions to boost his motivation.

Team #4

Asuka has been working in the industry for five years. The excitement of the early years has faded, and the boredom of working at home is setting in. Asuka’s tasks feel very repetitive to her; she feels there are no more challenges. This feeling has dramatically increased since her two best friends at work left for another job. They used to ask her for help and feedback, which made her feel empowered to offer her support. Now, she is bored and feels lonely.

“Every day is the same, and no one cares for me in this team.”

Asuka is a talented artist, and you want to keep her on the team, but you can see her motivation and the quality of her work is declining. What do you do to help her get her spark back?