In a previous column, "What Makes You Tick?" (May 2005), I wrote about understanding six primary personality "types" - attitudes or values based on the work of German philosopher and psychologist Eduard Spranger. As a brief review, the following are the attitudes and their drivers Spranger outlined:

• Theoretical - knowledge and information
• Utilitarian - money
• Aesthetic - form and harmony
• Social - helping others
• Individualistic - power
• Traditional - order

You can figure out which of these six types is the primary driver for each member of your team by becoming something of a detective. Observe your people and listen to their language. You'll find traits and likes/dislikes that will provide clues to their primary motivators. Someone who is at home in a bookstore is responding to the drive for knowledge. Another person might use multi-colored pens to organize her work. She is responding to the drive for form and harmony. Someone who always steps up and takes charge is likely responding to the drive for power.

As a manager, the way you motivate will change for each style. Here are some examples:

• Theoretical - Involve this person with various learning events that your organization offers. She can be effective at evaluating program topics for your conferences, for example, as well as in-house professional development programs. Keep her focused on results to avoid the possibility of getting too wrapped up in the learning. Reward her with tickets to a lecture series or other knowledge-based event.
• Utilitarian - This person will respond to performance-based incentives. Driven by results and accomplishments, he does best when rewarded commensurately. This isn't only about the money; he also gets satisfaction from meeting goals on a timely, efficient basis. He finds both individual and team recognition rewarding.
• Aesthetic - This person is typically sensitive to the feelings of other team members, and can be a harmonizing force on the team. She will want to be respected for her self-expression, so allow her the opportunity to use her creative juices as a primary contribution to the team. You'll want to ensure that she doesn't get too enmeshed in the creative process at the expense of your results.
• Social - This person will always be respectful of and helpful to other team members. He is usually a good team player and willing to mentor and coach others. Make sure his helpfulness is tempered, otherwise there's a chance that his work will suffer as a result of his altruism. Give him coaching and mentoring opportunities.
• Individualistic - This person likes to be in charge and in front of others. She typically takes a stand and wants to be recognized as a leader. Allow her the opportunity to make decisions and lead the implementation. One idea for rewarding her is to give her the opportunity to make a presentation in front of a larger group of people (beyond her immediate circle of colleagues).
• Traditional - A person with this driver understands systems and procedures, and can bring balance to the team, work with the systems and those who don't follow them. When working on an event, he can create systematized solutions and be a stabilizing influence. This person can also act in the informal role of "conscience" to the group.

By managing to your people's motivation styles, you'll see an increase in productivity as well as higher job satisfaction. And while you're at it, don't forget to take some time to figure out what motivates you.

Managing People Take Away

Motivating your team based on what makes each of them tick may represent a new way to develop a satisfied and productive team. Keep in mind:

• There are six primary motivators of behavior in the workplace: knowledge, money, harmony, helpfulness, power, and order.
• Pay attention to the language people use in order to get clues about what is important to them. u The way you manage will change based on what motivates your people.
• Match your people with jobs or projects that mesh with their drivers.
• Identify rewards that match what motivates your people.

Lisa M. Aldisert (lisa@businessgrowthcenter.com, www.business growthcenter.com) is a New York City-based management consultant and professional speaker specializing in executive development and organizational growth strategies. She is the author of Valuing People - How Human Capital Can Be Your Strongest Asset.

Learn about what motivates you by taking an assessment. E-mail lisa@pharosalliance.com with "Workplace Motivators" in the subject line, and she will send you a link. This offer is available through June 30.