Quality Improvement Zone

Kahler (1975) identified five common drivers that motivate us. These are unconscious drivers that influence how we behave.

The questionnaire (found in the resources section below) helps you to identify which driver(s) you exhibit most. The results can then be used to facilitate conversations about team relationships and ways of working.

Building mutual understanding and trust is key to fostering effective working relationships. Recognising and understanding our drivers can increase self-awareness, thereby improving:

• Communication: by understanding the intent behind behaviours, we can better tailor our messaging for clearer, more effective interactions.
• Teamwork: by building understanding and respect for different approaches, we can foster empathy and collaboration within diverse teams.
• Leadership: by recognising our own and others’ drivers, we can motivate and manage more effectively.
• Emotional resilience: through increased self-awareness of what you need, you can support self-regulation and stress management under pressure.

It takes around 15-20 minutes to complete the questionnaire, and it is best to answer each question based on initial reaction and instinct. For each question:

1. Select the statement that is most true for you and give it a number between 7 and 10.
2. Select the statement that is least true for you and give it a number between 0 and 3.
3. Then arrange the other three statements, giving them a mark, which is between your lowest and highest score, ensuring that one statement is given a mark of 5.

If the tool is completed electronically, then the scores will automatically update at the bottom of the spreadsheet.

Scores usually range between 40 and 80.  Anything over 80 is high. Only 2% have scores of over 100 or under 30. Often, two drivers show up strongly as many people favour a combination of drivers rather than a single one. One of the drivers is often particularly low, which can be explored during the session. 

You can ask your team to complete the questionnaire and bring them together to discuss the results in a facilitated discussion. The resources section below includes facilitation notes with a suggested format.