Have you ever felt dread at the thought of poring over endless pages of a mind-numbing report? Or cleaning and updating the same spreadsheets with only minor variations? Or being stuck in endless, regimented team meetings that focus solely on maintaining the status quo rather than brainstorming innovative solutions? Or any other activity devoid of variety and novelty?
If the thought of repetitive and regimented activities causes you to break into a cold sweat, then you probably have a high adventure drive.
According to the test What Motivates You?, people driven by adventure comprise a much smaller fraction of the workforce; around 8% of people have adventure as their primary motivator. However, a company’s adventurers are more likely to be at the forefront of innovative, creative, and riskier endeavors, so their influence is significantly outsized relative to their raw numbers. Launching a new venture or product? Entering a new market or releasing a new discovery? Your adventure-driven employees and leaders are often the people propelling those efforts.
The folks motivated by adventure aren’t just seeking the next thrill; they’re motivated by a deeper desire for new experiences and challenges. They are more natural risk-takers, creative thinkers, and change embracers. They thrive on variety and are often the first to volunteer for new projects, especially those that break new ground.
To keep these employees engaged, it’s important to create a stimulating work environment. This can be achieved by:
Offering Diverse Projects:
Ensure that their work life includes a variety of projects that challenge them in different ways. Rotating roles or responsibilities periodically can keep the job fresh and exciting.
Encouraging Innovation:
Create a culture, even just within your team or workgroup, where innovative ideas are welcomed and rewarded. Allow them the freedom to experiment and explore new methods in their work. You may not be able to do this constantly, but dedicate at least some time in meetings for thinking outside the box.
Providing Learning Opportunities:
Employees driven by adventure have a natural inclination towards learning and growth. Offer opportunities for professional development, workshops, and training that align with their interests and career goals.
Encourage Calculated Risk-Taking:
Create a safe space for taking calculated risks. Encourage them to present new ideas and allow them to lead pilot projects. This won’t work for every project, of course, but actively search for projects where a little more creativity or riskiness would be beneficial.
Empowering Decision Making:
Allow them to make decisions about their work. The deadlines on most projects are far more flexible than typically assumed. How many times have you seen a boss give a deadline for a project and then not even look at the deliverable until days after the deadline? Give your folks a bit more leeway in deciding for themselves how to order and prioritize their work.
Encourage Personal Projects:
Allow them time to work on projects they are passionate about, even if it’s outside their regular duties. Famous examples abound of companies that gave employees the freedom to pursue some passion projects and were rewarded with groundbreaking innovations.
Set Ambitious Goals:
Set challenging goals that push them to stretch their abilities. Only 14% of employees think that their goals for this year will help them achieve great things, so ensure that your employees motivated by adventure have the chance to really push the envelope with their goals.
“Variety is the spice of life” may be a cliché, but for people driven by adventure, it’s at the core of their work personality. It may take a little effort on your part, especially if you’re not similarly motivated, but a bit of flexibility can engage some of your most creative and innovative employees.
A version of this article appeared on forbes.com, posted on November 28, 2023
EXPERD, Human Resources Consultant, Jakarta – Indonesia