How to rally a team to develop a product in conditions of long-term work without funding

Is your salary really what motivates you to do better? Or is it just a habit that no longer stimulates development? According to the theory of F. Herzberg, wages in themselves are not a true motivation. Of course, it gives a feeling of stability, but does not lead to growth and development. Employees accustomed to their salaries, bonuses and benefits are more likely to take these benefits for granted rather than as a source of inspiration. It is interesting to note that the variable part of income can significantly increase motivation: according to recent research, for many workers this component is associated with recognition of their achievements and performance.

It is important to understand that the motivation of the team consists of the motivation of each individual employee. An individual approach to each team member is a key element of effective management. After all, people primarily focus on their own needs, and not on the overall goal of the company. (although in theory it is possible to build an ideology).

How to determine what motivates each employee? When a new person joins the team, it is important to immediately clarify their expectations and goals. Yes, it's that simple. This effective step allows you to better understand a person’s internal motivation if he himself understands what he wants. Otherwise, if an employee cannot clearly articulate his needs and aspirations, the question arises: will he really be able to become part of the team? An employee who is not aware of his goals is unlikely to work to his full potential. It is unlikely that you need such a person in a strong team.

Having learned the desires and needs of a person, you find a scenario that suits you as a leader, and at the same time satisfies the needs of a person who will get what he wants and fulfill his main requests, which will motivate him to work. Creating an effective motivational system, where a person works not for the fear of losing income, but for the desire to contribute to the overall result, is one of the most important functions of management.

Let me give you a few examples from our startup NFCKEY

1. Adaptation of different motivation lines: Two of our developers were in their 4th year at university at the beginning of the project. They had to write diplomas, which took a lot of time and effort. We offered them a thesis topic related to the project, which allowed them to stay motivated and work on the project for 10 months without salary. This solution ensured high engagement and clearly demonstrates how the right motivation can support performance even in difficult conditions.

2. Motivation through development: In February 2024, an SMM manager joined our team, who worked without pay, since her main motivation was to develop competencies. This man had already received a higher education and had a main job. How can you interest such a person without paying him? She told everything herself: she was interested in getting the work experience that we could provide, adapting to requests. This was done. That is, a person simply develops his competencies in a team that is comfortable for him and receives clear feedback in the form of a media result. When current tasks ceased to be interesting for her, we offered her to study finance, which allowed her to maintain motivation, and for me, to get an assistant in a complex matter.

3. Lessons from failure: At the beginning of the project, we had employees motivated by the opportunity to influence decisions made as co-owners of the project. However, they were faced with the reality that in order to really influence the process, they had to invest a significant amount of time and effort. Due to the lack of a clear system of distribution of responsibilities, as well as due to the lack of proper experience, I did not ask what motivates them and what they want. Conflicts arose – this led to their leaving the team. This example highlights the importance of understanding whether each participant's expectations are realistic and managing motivation appropriately. For example, career growth is unlikely to inspire an unambitious or irresponsible employee, and social guarantees are unlikely to inspire an employee who is hungry for achievement and active.

With the help of these examples, I want to show that there are ideal situations when it is enough to find the right solution for a specific person, and all the factors, together with the context, will do the rest. There are cases where you just need to listen to the person and give what he wants, if it fits within the company's framework. And there is a scenario where the wrong line of motivation initially ruins the team. This is the essence of management: it is creative work, constantly finding an approach to tasks, people, distribution of responsibilities, creating new systems and building processes.

Finding an approach to each employee in different contexts and conditions is an art that requires creativity and flexibility. It is impossible to create a universal template that will suit everyone. There are books on management techniques and strategies, but there is no single formula that will make you a great leader. This is a skill that needs to be developed by relying on intuition, understanding people and their motivation.

There are no hard data or statistics that can guarantee success. The same factor can play completely different roles depending on the individual, so a personalized approach is key to achieving results.

The success of any team depends on how motivation is built in it and how management works with each person. A key factor in the success of a startup/project is the motivation of its team. This is a fundamental point of success, and the motivation must be long-term. True success requires constant attention and long-term planning.

Motivation comes when we work on what we value. It also appears when we work with those who are dear to us.

Sheryl Sandberg

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