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With the impact the downturn is having on people, managers have to work even smarter to maintain the motivation of their colleagues. Adversity is a time when leadership shines through. Since all supervisors and managers have leadership responsibility, isn't now the time to step forward and lead from the front?

Motivation is one of those fuzzy topics that many managers struggle with. What, for instance, are people motivated by? How do you work out each individual's motivations? How do you know what techniques to use? These are all questions that go through our minds. Motivation theory is also riddled with high-faluting, academic content, which, in itself, is a minefield. However, there are four key motivators which apply to all of us who go to work each day.

These are: