You learn from your mistakes

How managers can boost motivation and performance within the organisation

In a company, how can you create an environment that fosters individual motivation? First of all, it is necessary to understand what influences people’s behaviour

by Michelle Costardi*

24 June 2026

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

How many times, during a busy day at work, have we asked ourselves, ‘Why am I doing this?’, ‘I can’t take it any more, that’s it!’, but then decided not to make a change? Perhaps we didn’t want to do so precisely because what we do is what we enjoy, or is even our passion and something we’re good at. Perhaps the question we should be asking ourselves is: ‘What drives me to do this?’

The world of sport can help us understand this dynamic, which is as simple as it is complex. In my experience as a football coach, I have observed that not everyone always manages to give their all during a match: sometimes you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, sometimes you just don’t feel like it, and at other times you have to deal with conflict within the team, and this has a significant impact on behaviour. It’s not uncommon to find it hard to separate these dynamics from performance. But why does an athlete carry on training despite this? That’s where motivation comes into play.

Understanding the origins of motivation

It determines our actions and drives us to act; the word comes from the Latin *motivus*, meaning ‘to set in motion’. It is the process of being driven to achieve a goal, in relation to environmental conditions. For example, sticking with football, if I wanted to make the national team because it’s my passion, it makes me feel good and I think of nothing else, I’ll commit myself to such an extent that I’ll devote most of my time to improving, thereby increasing my chances of achieving that goal. If, on the other hand, the reason is to fulfil a parent’s unfulfilled wish, or to strive for approval or rewards, my dedication to this activity will not be consistent. This is because the moment I stop receiving positive feedback or rewards, I’ll lose the desire to carry on training and will find myself asking once again: ‘Why am I doing this?’

Whether a goal is achieved depends on the type of motivation involved.

We use Self-Determination Theory (SDT), developed by the psychologists Deci and Ryan, to gain a better understanding. It examines the self-regulatory processes of human motivation in social contexts and is linked to a person’s perception of the source of their own behaviour. This behaviour lies on a continuum and is influenced by both internal and external causes. To put it simply: do I play because I enjoy it, or because I want a reward?

Self-determination is an innate need, linked to the basic psychological needs for autonomy (behaviour stems from one’s own choices), competence (interacting effectively with the environment and being able to influence it) and relatedness (feeling connected to others in a satisfying way). This gives rise to a reciprocal triadic determinism between the individual, the environment and behaviour, in which all parts influence one another. If I am part of a team in which everyone is able to express themselves, helps one another, is not afraid to make mistakes and tries out new solutions without fear of judgement, it means that the coach has succeeded in creating a supportive environment geared towards self-determination.

From basic psychological needs to the motivational climate

In a company, how can you create an environment that fosters individual motivation? First of all, it is necessary to understand what influences people’s behaviour.

Depending on how basic psychological needs are perceived and experienced, a task-oriented motivational approach develops, in which people have greater intrinsic motivation, tend to collaborate, commit themselves and overcome difficulties; or an ego-oriented approach, where people display more tense behaviour, have a low perception of their own competence and struggle to complete a task.

Returning to the concept of the triad, where behaviour is the product of an individual’s abilities and the opportunities offered by the environment, it can be said that the manager’s role is crucial in shaping the motivational climate; to achieve this, it is necessary to implement a number of key practices:

- prioritise a task-oriented approach;

- to create an environment of psychological safety;

- to recognise everyone’s commitment;

- pay attention to progress and collaboration;

- to recognise the contribution of each individual;

- allow scope for independent experimentation.

The results will be greater satisfaction and engagement, less stress, greater cohesion and a stronger sense of belonging. Conversely, focusing exclusively on performance, highlighting individuals’ mistakes in front of the group and encouraging internal competition will lead to the opposite effects.

In this sense, the manager’s role is not so much to ‘motivate’ people from the outside, but rather to create the conditions that enable each individual to draw on and sustain their own internal motivation.

*Consultant at Newton Spa