John Adair's 100 Greatest Ideas for Effective Leadership

Idea 35: The seven indicators of high motivation

Here are seven signs that you may discern in yourself or others when motivation is high:

1. Energy – not necessarily being extrovert, but alertness and quiet resolve.
2. Commitment – to the common purpose.
3. Staying power – in the face of problems/difficulties/setbacks.
4. Skill – possession of skills indicates purpose and ambition.
5. Single-mindedness – energy applied in a single direction.
6. Enjoyment – goes hand in hand with motivation.
7. Responsibility – willingness to seek and accept it.

One practical way of using this list is to turn it into a set of benchmarks to assess the motivation and level of morale of your team at any given time.