Motivation as the term refers- is the process of stimulating people to action or accomplish the goal and consist of three stages- a felt need or drive, a stimulus in which needs have to be aroused, when needs are satisfied, the satisfaction or accomplishment of goals.

The first stage- a felt need or drive- is the most critical stage. A leader with great communication skills can persuade people to do something for which they don’t feel need or drive, but the effect would not be perennial. Probably this might be one of the reasons for people constant need of morale building actions.

While when motivational talks strike a chord with inner value system or need or drive, people feel motivated and they remain motivated for a long time. In my corporate experience, I found leader who are persuader instead of motivator. A leader can only show you the mirror, making you feel your hidden drives strongly, rest a person do himself or herself.

Motivation is a tool where stages need to be followed in same order, without understanding a felt need or drive, a stimulus cannot be given to arouse needs and without satisfaction of needs goals can’t be achieved. So be a motivator rather than a persuader.