The Hidden Force Behind Leadership Success: Understanding Motivating Operations

Why does the same leadership approach work brilliantly one day and fall flat the next? Why do some initiatives gain immediate traction while others struggle despite perfect execution? The answer lies in a powerful behavioral principles called motivating operations (MOs) - the hidden forces that make or break leadership effectiveness (well, really, the reinforcement, but we'll get to that).

Last month, a CEO shared a puzzling situation. She held two identical town hall meetings announcing a new patient care initiative. The morning session generated excitement, engaging discussion, and immediate volunteer sign-ups. The afternoon session was met with silence. Same message, same delivery, drastically different results.

Why?

The difference was most likely a change in the establishing operations at play.

What Are Motivating Operations?

In previous newsletters we have discussed the ABCs of behavior and various other behavioral principles. Motivating operations are a critical component of the antecedents influencing or setting the stage for the behavior to occur. They influence the behavior in two ways:

• They make the reinforcer more or less valuable in the moment
• They make the behavior necessary to access the reinforcer more or less likely in the moment

Putting it together with other behavioral principles, the ABC analysis tells us what triggers and maintains behavior, behavioral momentum shows us how to build sustainable change, shaping tells us how to move the behavior closer and closer to what we ultimately want, and motivating operations explain why the same approach works differently at different times.

There are three key things influence motivating operations:

Deprivation & Satiation

• The length of time since the reinforcer has been accessed makes it more or less desirable in the moment. Think of it like this, while you love Mexican food, you likely don't want to eat it right after a huge holiday meal. On the other hand, while you might typically steer clear of fast food, you could find yourself pulling up to the drive through on a day when you've had nothing to eat, worked later than planned, and it's the only thing on the way home.
• All reinforcers become more valuable when there is deprivation from them; they become equally less valuable when satiation occurs.

Effort & Access

• Tasks that require more effort can make the reinforcer that follows less desirable. Or, a better way of looking at it is if the task requires more effort, the reinforcer should match it.
• Competing demands that access the same or different reinforcers must also be considered. If the reinforcement is 'better' for completing other things, the likeliness your task will be completed is lessened.
• Finally, when one has free access to the reinforcer you are attempting to use to increase your target behavior, that reinforcer is less desirable.

Social & Environmental

• It is important to consider the broader context of the behavior. You may find that attention is a great motivator for some people; however, it is likely only some people's attention actually serve as a motivating operation. Other types of attention may have the opposite effect.
• Outside stressors can also effect the likeliness a behavior will occur. If the larger motivating operation is to remove stress, the task is likely not going to get done.

Let's put it all into action by revisiting the CEO's town hall meetings. Here is what we found when we analyzed the variables.

Morning Session:

• It was Monday morning, people were fresh and energized and hadn't seen or talked to one another all weekend (there was an establishing operation to interact with peers in place)
• There were not any other competing meetings (this eliminated an abolishing operation of attending another meeting)
• There was a recent success that was shared just before the meeting began (creation of some behavioral momentum - an establishing operation to continue)
• Key influencers were present and engaged (an establishing operation to gain their attention and approval)

Afternoon Session:

• Staff finished handling a crisis just before lunch (an abolishing operation for participation)
• Several departments were short-staffed (an establishing operation to be working, rather than attending this meeting)
• A technology glitch that morning caused increased frustration with new initiatives (an abolishing operation for this new thing)
• Key skeptics were vocal in their disapproval of the initiative (an establishing operation to remain silent or agree with the disapproval)

The difference was not about the initiative, the presentation, or the CEO - it was about the establishing and abolishing operations affecting how people could respond to it.

Great, Now What?

Now that you know there are several things that could effect one's motivation to engage in the behaviors that lead to the ultimate reinforcers, you can plan initiatives around important events. Here are some suggestions that will help make your initiatives more successful.

Analyze the MOs for your team

• When is your team most energized?
• What are they most likely to get excited about?
• What stressors are present?
• What are the social dynamics of the team?

Plan around the MOs

• Schedule important meetings when energy is highest
• Address basic needs prior to seeking higher engagement - don't schedule important meetings just before lunch or the end of the day; make sure the room is optimal temperature, and so on
• Don't create too many large changes all at once; allow for recovery and success time between initiatives

Create Favorable Establishing Operations

• Reduce unnecessary effort
• Remove competing demands
• Build social support systems
• Get the team influencers on board first

Monitor and Adjust

• Track patterns
• Adjust timing based on conditions
• Build flexibility into plans
• Respond when the context changes

Want to Learn More?

Are you ready to take your leadership to the next level by applying behavior principles? Schedule a 30-min complimentary session with me where we will:

• Analyze your organization's current MOs
• Identify optimal conditions for change
• Create a preliminary MO management plan

Remember: Leadership success isn't just about what you do in the moment - it's about understanding and managing the conditions that make success possible.