I think we underestimate the day to day importance of intrinsic motivation and leadership. I’ve seen firsthand how extrinsic motivators like money, promotion and bonuses can only go so far in motivating employees. Intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, can create a sense of purpose and passion that can drive your team to do remarkable things. Here are three main points to consider when it comes to intrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic motivation creates sustainable motivation. Extrinsic motivators such as bonuses or promotions are often short term motivators. They may incentivize team members to work harder in the short term, but this motivation quickly fades away once the rewards have been received. On the other hand, intrinsic motivation is driven by the satisfaction of the work itself. When your team is intrinsically motivated, they’re more likely to remain engaged and passionate about their work over the long term.

Intrinsic motivation leads to higher levels of creativity and innovation. Extrinsic motivators can be effective at getting team members to meet specific goals, but they often inhibit creativity and innovation. Team members who are primarily focused on achieving a specific outcome for a reward may be less likely to take risks or think outside the box. Intrinsic motivation encourages employees to be creative and take calculated risks.

When your team is intrinsically motivated, they’ll be more likely to generate new ideas and approaches that can take your organization to the next level. Intrinsic motivation creates a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Ultimately, we all want to feel like our work has meaning and purpose. Extrinsic motivators can only do so much to create this sense of fulfillment. Intrinsic motivation is driven by a deep sense of purpose and passion for the work itself.

When your team is intrinsically motivated, they’re more likely to feel fulfilled by their work and more connected to the mission and the values of your organizational culture. As leaders, we should focus on creating an environment that embraces intrinsic motivation. This means giving employees the autonomy to make decisions, providing opportunities for personal and professional growth, and creating a culture that values and celebrates creativity, innovation and purpose driven work.

By prioritizing intrinsic motivation, you can create an engaged, passionate workforce that’s committed to achieving remarkable productivity. All three of these things are important, but all three combined art is important in figuring out how to appeal to your team members intrinsic motivations because this will always make them happier and more fulfilled in their day to day engagements.