293: Recognising & Understanding your Drivers at Work

from Happier At Work: Leadership, Culture, Performance

Are you searching for the secret to truly motivating your team?In this solo episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien dives deep into what drives genuine motivation in today’s workplace. Building on previous discussions about workplace culture and psychological safety, Aoife unpacks the "drivers" pillar from her soon-to-be-released Thriving Talent framework. Drawing from research, personal experience, and practical examples, she explores the universal psychological needs we all share, the unique motivators that can vary from person to person, and the derailers that can sabotage engagement and performance, even when money is on the table.In This Episode, You’ll Discover:The three universal psychological needs based on self-determination theory: autonomy, competence, and relatedness Why motivation is not a one-size-fits-all solutionThe importance of understanding the individual needs and frustrations of your teamWhy striking a "Goldilocks" balance in autonomy and challenge is crucialRelated Topics Covered:Psychological Safety, Work-life Balance, Autonomy at Work Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:Website LinkedIn YouTube Related Episodes You’ll Love:Episode 279: Trust & High Performance at WorkEpisode 149: Discovering your motive mindset with Kelly MackinAbout Happier at Work®Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ Mentioned in this episode:Thriving Talent book - out nowBook

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This episode is 11 minutes long.

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This episode was published on February 13, 2026.

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