How to Motivate People Using Attribution Theory

Attribution Theory is more than an academic concept.  It has real application in the business world.  Below we talk about the following aspects of Attribution Theory:

• What is Attribution Theory?
• Why Should I care about Attribution Theory?
• How do I use Attribution Theory?

What is Attribution Theory?

Quite simply, Attribution Theory explains how people tend to explain things.  Whenever things happen, either good or bad, people will assign a cause to those events.

• An external attribution assigns causality to an outside agent or force.
• An internal attribution claims that the person was directly responsible for the event.

Attribution Theory can be used to explain things about your own performance, or about others’ performance.  People can easily default to attributing success or failure in ways that favorable fits their view of the world.  For example:

• When good things happen to me, I attribute my own efforts to that outcome.
• When bad things happen to me, I attribute the influence of others, or external forces as being responsible.
• When good things happen to others, I may attribute external factors such as luck to that person’s good fortune.
• When bad things happen to others, it is easy to say that the person brought that outcome upon themselves.

Why Should I Care About Attribution Theory?

Consider this chain of events:

1. An event (either positive or negative) occurs.
2. The world asks me, “Why?”
3. I provide an attribution, or an explanation as to those events.
4. My future behavior depends on the type of attribution.  However I rationalize or explain those events will significantly influence my future behavior when similar circumstances occur in the future.

As leaders of people, if we can influence the attributions people make, then we can influence their future behavior.

How do I use Attribution Theory?

• Research has shown that athletes who make more internal attributions were better able to improve their performance (Roesch and Amirkham 1997).
• So your job as a leader is to help employees make more internal attributions about their performance.  If people feel they can largely control the outcomes of their behaviors, they are more likely to work to influence those outcomes.
• Occasional external attributions are sometimes also helpful to motivation – particularly if someone has been working very hard at something, but has yet to achieve success.
• Leaders should arrange tasks so that employees are able to perceive themselves as successful.
• Use positive reinforcement whenever possible to drive performance
• Use Attribution assigning questions to help people get to the right frame of mind about their own performance.  For example, ask people what they might do differently to affect a different outcome in the future.

Three Things to Remember About Attribution Theory

1. It’s another tool to help managers manage the performance of their people.  It’s not the only tool we suggest you use.
2. In general, it is best for employees to believe that it is their own behavior rather than external circumstances that leads to success or failure.
3. Take advantage of the coaching opportunity. (Listen for employees making untrue/external attributions.)