SEPTEMBER MOTIVES MET MONTHLY: No-B.S., Just Real Work Well-Being

As summer has faded into fall, I find myself reflecting on transitions—not just in seasons but also in work and life. This time of year is often full of fresh starts and renewed energy. As a Virgo, my birthday season always gets me reflecting on how we navigate these changes in ways that support our well-being. With back-to-school schedules, work deadlines on blast, and the holidays around the corner, it can feel invigorating while also a lot to juggle. Our hope is that we can help elevate your well-being at work so you can thrive in every aspect of your life in this season.

In this edition of Motives Met Monthly:

• Stuff worth sharing

• Upcoming live and virtual events

• World Mental Health Day 2024

• How to empower teams to thrive together

• Monthly motive reflection & tips -> PEER CONNECTION

🙌 STUFF WORTH SHARING

📈 Work-Life Conflict Insights

This study found 66% of workers feel powerless to manage work-life balance. That’s two-thirds of us

In a Motives Met team workshop, we dove into a deep discussion around work-life harmony. It turns out, guilt is an equal opportunity offender when it comes to work-life harmony—whether you’re craving more of it, or less. I shared insights from the workshop here, which hit home for a lot of people with over 2 million views.

📚 Great Read

I started diving into “Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect” by Will Guidara and loving every page. At the core, it’s about creating authentic human connections and provides a new lens to think about meaningful work experiences.

📊 Stats We Are Loving

Research by Deloitte revealed that employers who invested in mental health initiatives saw an average return of 5:1, resulting from reduced absenteeism, presenteeism and employee turnover. Mental Health at work matters in a big way, check out our free workshop on World Mental Health Day, more info below!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Where you can hang out with me virtually and IRL in October!

I'm looking forward to leading this free webinar with GoCo.io, Inc. where we'll dive into how to create a thriving culture, register here. Disrupt HR is back in San Diego! Grab your ticket and send me a message if you will be there and want to connect!

The theme for World Mental Health Day 2024 is "Prioritizing Mental Health in the Workplace"—a long-overdue shift towards improving one of the most important parts of our lives. Alex Seiler and I are going big in 2024 and giving back which is why we’ve designed this free interactive virtual workshop with one goal in mind: to deliver immense value for you and your employees.We are also gifting participants some awesome resources, including access to The Human Needs Assessment™ for your whole team, a $900 value for FREE. We would love to have you with us, save your spot!

Watch the video to hear about her Motives Met Experience -->

Orlena Nwokah Blanchard, CEO of Seven Elements, shared her organization's experience using our Human Needs Assessment™ and workshop experience as part of her team's offsite. She says, “It was eye-opening to see what motivates and drives your employees and how that collectively looks for the entire team. Where we see connection or alignment and where we see diversity and difference. It was so valuable to have conversations about that and give us something to consider as we think about the way we operate as a team, ensuring that we create a space where people feel their motives can be met.” Do you want to learn more about how we can support you and your team? Drop us a line, and we’ll send you info to learn more.

👇 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Top Articles

👉Which Unconscious Commitments are Sabotaging You and Your Team?

👉Which Motives are MOST Important for Your Employees to Thrive?

👉Meaningful Questions About What Matters Most to Ask Your Team

MONTHLY MOTIVE LEADERSHIP REFLECTION & TIPS

If you have been following Motives Met for some time, you know we uncovered 28 psychological, emotional, and social human needs, or motives, that are at the heart of thriving at work. This month the spotlight is on the PEER CONNECTION motive.

MOTIVE SUMMARY

Having PEER CONNECTION, as a vital motive, means work isn't just about work – it’s also about people. The PEER CONNECTION-motivated like to engage with colleagues, customers, or clients on a personal level. If this motive is in your top 5 motives out of the 28 from our Human Needs Assessment you particularly struggle when you don’t get along with your collaborators, or if your position keeps you isolated. This motive may mean you take energy from social interaction, or you may more simply enjoy a sense of professional solidarity. It doesn’t mean you’re compelled to be friends with everyone, though you’ll likely prefer to work among at least a few friends. The connections you enjoy at work may be deep or casual, many or few, and whether introverted or extroverted, you enjoy work dynamics that allow you to exercise interpersonal muscles. Negative relationships (or an absence of relationships), however, will leave you disengaged. The PEER CONNECTION motive thrives in a collaborative environment with positive personal connections.

LEADERSHIP MOTIVE REFLECTION

• Am I making the effort to connect with each team member individually, human to human, not just during meetings but through casual conversations and informal check-ins?

• Are there specific situations or behaviors that create disconnection among my team? How do I handle it if there is conflict or things like gossip or passive aggression that threaten cohesive connection?

• How often do I create opportunities for my team to connect on a personal level, beyond work-related discussions?

LEADERSHIP MOTIVE TIPS

• Given the shift to a virtual way of working, more leaders and teams miss out on those in-person "casual collisions" at work events or when grabbing coffee. Without those organic micro-moments—like chatting in the hallway, at a work event, or grabbing a coffee together—it’s harder to build the trust and camaraderie that make working relationships meaningful. Think about ways to inspire casual collisions like random pairing virtual coffee chats or even allowing time for people to simply chat at the beginning or end of a meeting. Better yet, ask your team for some ideas they would find valuable.

• Sometimes the real question isn’t just how we connect, but how we limit judgment that fuels disconnection. To build genuine connections, we need to create a space where people feel safe to show up as their authentic selves without fear of being judged or dismissed. Encourage your team to practice curiosity over criticism. Start meetings with a “No Judgment Zone” moment where team members share something personal or challenging, knowing they’ll be met with support, not scrutiny.

• If your team is remote, prioritize annual off-site gatherings or encourage in-person meetups in various cities. Consider offering a “Connection Stipend” that employees can use each month to connect with others on your team or in your organization.

Enhance your team's culture with the best-selling book "Work Life Well-Lived!" When you purchase copies for your team, you get a FREE webinar to co-create your ideal work life and workplace together. Because a thriving culture belongs to everyone—it takes a collective mindset and commitment to make it happen. Each book also comes with a free code to take the Motives Met Human Needs Assessment™. Send us a message to get this special offer.

💫 HOW WE CAN EMPOWER YOU TO CREATE YOUR BEST WORK LIFE & WORKPLACE

🎤 Book me to speak at your event, check out my speaker page --> https://lnkd.in/gCE9GFA2

📚 Grab my best-selling book "Work Life Well-Lived" --> https://lnkd.in/g2f9Qvs6

🔥Learn more about the Motives Met Human Needs Assessment and team workshops --> https://lnkd.in/dGv5uEgY

📩 Subscribe to the newsletter --> motivesmet.com/subscribe