Clear the air

44 - What Drives Motivation? Psychology, Leadership and Actively Caring for People with E. Scott Geller

Clear the air

Show Notes

Bringing out the best in ourselves and others is something many of us strive for - but how do we realistically work towards it, especially in the workplace? In this episode, behavioural psychologist Dr. Scott Geller explores how motivation, Actively Caring for People (AC4P), and evidence-based behaviour-change strategies can support personal wellbeing, leadership, and more connected, high-functioning teams. This episode highlights the role of community and coaching in empowering both ourselves and those around us.

Scott’s biography: Professor Scott Geller is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Virginia Tech and the former Director of the Center for Applied Behavior Systems. He has authored 55 books and more than 300 research articles looking at behavior-based interventions to improve human welfare on a large scale. His talent is well-recognised and he has received multiple awards for his work.

In this episode, we dive deep into answering the following thorny questions. 00:00 – Introduction 02:10 – Why Scott became a behavioural psychologis? 03:35 – What is the definition of motivation? 05:00 – The three factors that drive self‑motivation. 08:15 – Applying the 3C framework to motivate yourself to go to the gym. 10:30 – The importance of learning and social support when trying something new. 13:00 – How to stay motivated to help others when you’re struggling. 14:30 – Self‑transcendence and the top of Maslow’s hierarchy. 18:00 – What is the Actively Caring for People (AC4P) framework? 20:50 – How to give corrective feedback with empathy. 21:40 – The COACH framework for inspiring people to care at work. 24:50 – The role of leaders in creating a safety culture. 26:55 – How to build interdependent communities where everyone benefits. 7:45 – Three steps to empowering employees to try something new. 31:05 – How to get teams to actively care. 32:25 – The role of leaders in encouraging active caring. 34:35 – How to sustain choice, competence, and community in an organisation. 36:35 – Example: eliminating bullying in a school using caring principles. 38:00 – Summary and final reflections.

Learn more about Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-geller-3045211/ Learn more about Clearhead https://www.myclearhead.com/

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