How to Motivate Different Types of Employees (Without Guessing)
Some employees chase rewards, others avoid risk entirely. Learn the Towards and Away motivation styles so you can motivate every type of employee correctly.
Employees are not motivated the same way. Some move toward rewards, recognition and growth; others move away from risk, criticism and loss. If you're using one motivation script for your whole team, half of them are tuning you out. Here's how to spot the difference and speak to both types.
TL;DR- People are wired to move either "towards" rewards or "away" from risk — and most managers only speak one language
- Reward-driven employees respond to growth, recognition and opportunity
- Risk-driven employees respond to clear deadlines, defined consequences and honest checklists
- Mixing up the two styles is why the same pep talk motivates one person and falls flat on another
- Spotting the pattern in one conversation lets you adjust your message on the spot
What Are "Towards" and "Away" Motivation Types?
This comes from a workplace psychology model called the Towards and Away meta program. Some people move toward outcomes — a promotion, a bonus, recognition in front of peers. Others move away from outcomes — a missed deadline, a lost client, a bad appraisal. Neither style is wrong, but a manager who only offers carrots to someone who's really avoiding sticks will watch the pep talk land flat. Recognising this pattern is core to any leadership training in Pune that changes behaviour on the floor, not just in the workshop.
How to Spot a Towards-Motivated Employee
A towards-motivated employee talks about growth. Ask them about their goals and they'll mention the next role, a bigger territory, a skill they want to add. In meetings they lean in when you talk about opportunity, expansion or being recognised. They respond well to public praise, stretch targets and being told what's possible if they perform. The catch: warnings about consequences barely register with this group. Telling a towards-driven salesperson to "hit the number or lose the incentive" works less than showing them what hitting the number actually unlocks.
| Trait | Towards-Motivated Employee | Away-Motivated Employee |
|---|---|---|
| Focuses on | Opportunities, growth, recognition | Risks, problems, what could go wrong |
| Responds best to | Praise, stretch goals, "what's possible" | Clear deadlines, defined consequences, checklists |
| Typical phrase | "I want to hit the next level" | "I don't want this to slip again" |
| What works in a 1:1 | Connect the task to future upside | Name the risk clearly, then give control |
| What backfires | Constant warnings about consequences | Vague hype with no concrete plan |
How to Spot an Away-Motivated Employee
An away-motivated employee talks about problems to avoid. Ask about their goals and you'll hear about not wanting to fall behind, not wanting to repeat last year's review, not wanting the team to look bad in front of leadership. They notice risk before opportunity and often get labelled "negative" when they're really just wired to scan for what could go wrong. This group responds to clear deadlines, defined consequences and a manager who's explicit about what happens if something slips — not as a threat, but as clarity they're actually looking for.
What to Say to Motivate Reward-Driven Employees
With a towards-driven employee, lead with the upside. Instead of "don't miss this deadline," try "hitting this on time is what gets you visibility in the leadership review." Instead of a generic target, connect the number to what it opens up — a certification, a client they want, a seat at the next planning meeting. Recognition and forward movement drive this group far more than fear ever will.
What to Say to Motivate Risk-Averse Employees
With an away-driven employee, don't bury the risk — name it, then hand them control over avoiding it. Saying "if we slip on this, the client review moves to next quarter and the whole team inherits that pressure" gives them something concrete to steer away from. Vague encouragement does less here than a clear checklist of what needs to happen and by when. This isn't about being harsh; it's speaking the language this employee already thinks in.
Mistakes Managers Make When Motivating Teams
The most common mistake is running every one-on-one, every target conversation and every town hall in a single motivational style — usually whichever one motivates the manager. A towards-driven leader over-promises upside to a team that actually needs clarity on consequences. An away-driven leader leans on urgency and risk with a team that's crying out for recognition and growth. Neither is fixing performance; both are talking past half the room. Reading the person in front of you matters more than the script you rehearsed.
Using This in Appraisals, Targets and Deadlines
In appraisals, ask both kinds of questions — what are you working toward, and what would you hate to see happen — and listen for which one the person answers with more energy. In sales targets, pair every number with both an upside and a downside framing and watch which one gets the reaction. This instinct is the same one we build into every leadership and motivation program Avinash runs inside Indian companies. For more on team habits, see common leadership mistakes that make teams lazy.
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Avinash Chate TEDx Speaker · Founder, The Future Corporate · 11+ yrs experience Avinash has trained Indian Army, BRO, RBI, BARC, JSW Steel and 1000+ corporate leaders across India. His work focuses on leadership development, communication skills, and behavioural training rooted in Indian values and modern business needs. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between towards and away motivation?
Towards motivation moves someone toward a reward — growth, recognition, opportunity. Away motivation moves someone away from a risk — a missed deadline, a bad review, losing something they have. Most people lean toward one style, and using the wrong one in a conversation makes your motivation attempt fall flat.
How do I know if my employee is towards or away motivated?
Listen to how they talk about goals. If they describe what they want to achieve — a promotion, a bigger role, recognition — they're towards-motivated. If they describe what they want to avoid — falling behind, disappointing the team, a bad appraisal — they're away-motivated. You'll usually hear the pattern within one or two real conversations.
Can one person be motivated by both styles?
Yes, most people lean toward one style but aren't purely one or the other. Context matters too — someone can be towards-motivated about their career and away-motivated about a specific deadline they've missed before. Pay attention to the specific situation, not just the person in general.
How can corporate training help managers use this in practice?
A structured session gives managers language and real workplace examples to apply this immediately — in appraisals, sales targets, and daily one-on-ones — rather than just knowing the theory. That's the difference between a manager who read about motivation once and one who actually changes how their team performs.
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By Avinash Chate — Maharashtra’s #1 Corporate Trainer & Motivational Speaker. .