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What motivates you? What does it take to make you want to spring from bed each morning to greet the new day? What does it take to make you feel excited and enthusiastic about tackling a new project? To make you want to commit to a goal, a project, or an organization?

Is it challenge? Recognition? Reward?

It may surprise you to know that it doesn’t always take a grand gesture to make an employee feel motivated.

A woman who recently (barely!) survived a merger between two large energy companies says that what motivates her is “receiving a simple e-mail from a supervisor (or better yet, from someone higher than your supervisor) thanking you for a job well done. It’s a very satisfying and positive item for a personnel file. It’s also something that you can refer back to when you need a little reassurance that you are doing a good job.”

A graphic designer says, “It’s always fun when my boss brings around ice cream bars for those who are sticking it out late on one of those sunny Friday afternoons when spring fever has overtaken everyone else.”

It may also surprise you that what motivates you doesn’t necessarily motivate members of your staff.

One manager tells of an informal conversation between her and her staff members about motivating experiences. She shared with the group that one of the most motivating things to her was to receive a new assignment or challenge from her manager. A staff member spoke up and said, “Well, don’t try to motivate me that way — I’d rather have a day off.” Others chimed in: “I’d just like a note from you telling me I did a good job.”

She was surprised: “You mean you’re not motivated when I give you extra projects? I do that all the time.”

“We know,” they laughed. This group was fortunate to have had the opportunity to share this information so the manager could learn what her staff found motivating. Not all managers are so lucky.