How to Motivate People by Dennis McCallum

Before considering how to motivate people, we have to settle two important questions.

1) What is motivation in the Christian context?

2) What does a motivated person look like?

The answer we give to these questions will absolutely limit and channel our efforts to motivate others. My suggested definition of motivation is:

People are motivated when they are convinced of the correctness and the urgency of Christian goals to the extent that they are eager to act, and keep acting, to reach those goals regardless of what others do or think.

In the early stages of motivation...

A. Convincing people that our goals are right

Instruction

Goals include:

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• Wisdom requires preparation
  
  
  
  
  
• Human inspiration vs. spiritual inspiration:
  
  
  

Persuasion-

• The skillful discipler is a persuader who is able to convince others using:
  
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• The role of emotional arousal
  
  
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B. Convincing people of the urgency of our goals

Modeling:

• Some models are followed and some are not. Why?
  
  
  
  
• Why do some models create more excitement for their way of life than others?
  
  
  

Reasons for following models include:

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• How much of a factor would short-term reward be in gaining a following?
  
  
  
  

Discrediting Features of leadership:

Direct influence

• Casting Vision
  
  
  
• Scripture teaches that we may have to call
  
  
  
  
• Challenging people indirectly
  
  
  
• Your example
  
  
  
• Reading their response
  
  

Exhorting Positive Movement

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• Develop different ways to encourage:
  
  
  • Indirectly
    
  • Publicly
    
  • Mentioning details
    
  • Reserve
    
  • In writing

C. Problem resolution - At times, correction required.

• Preparation should include these considerations:
  
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• Place and time
  
  
• Consider their personality
  
  
• Whether we are calling or rebuking someone, we should always do it with:
  
  
  [For more on this see Christian Principles Unit #3]
  

D. Nurturing Ongoing Motivation

• When people continue to act but are no longer reinforced much, a crisis may result
  
  
  
• Our response:
  

The Goal:

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