An alternative and more sustainable approach to motivation draws upon tapping into employees' desire to perform. Using this approach, leaders try to inspire people by enriching their jobs and giving them broad responsibilities that increase their overall job satisfaction. This type of intrinsic motivation relies on "internal" factors that are related to job content (the nature of the work itself), and comes from within employees. Internal motivational factors include:

• Achievement on the job
• Direct feedback from people internal and external to the company about the quality of their work
• The work itself
• A sense of responsibility for the work they are doing
• Opportunities for growth or learning

Some experts note that the presence of a strong external reward structure diminishes an individual's ability to react to internal motivators. Others maintain that these two means of motivating people are complementary, and that leaders should strive to provide both where possible. One thing is certain: all people have individual drives, needs, and desires. Because of this, they will be motivated by different factors.

Finding out what motivates people on an individual level is critical. Taking the time to discover what inspires each of your key stakeholders, and devising the plan that best meets their needs, will help ensure that people stay motivated for the long term.