MOTIVATIONAL SKILLS – RECOGNIZING OBSTACLES
Motivation means to move a person to develop or to stop a behavior. Often you are responsible to bring training and technical assistance to a provider. You assist the provider in adopting best practices in health and safety, curriculum, and child development. Have you ever been frustrated when you have spent hours training providers only to find they are not applying what you taught them?
When you motivate someone, you need to bridge the gap between knowing something and wanting to apply it. Motivation is what supplies the need or reason why a person adopts a certain behavior.
To motivate a provider, you need to know what causes resistance and how to overcome it. Here a come common reason why providers resist change.
BUSINESS AND FAMILY OBLIGATIONS
Many providers care for children of many ages and stages of development. They need to address each age and make sure that they are supplying a proper curriculum for each age. They work long hours caring for children. Providers also have families of their own that demand their attention. Adding a new obligation or task to their day may be overwhelming to some providers.
SEASONED PROVIDERS
Many providers have successfully operated a childcare business for many years. The children are safe and happy, also parents are satisfied with the care their child is getting. These providers do not see the need to learn anything new or make any changes.
LOW SELF ESTEEM
Some providers may have found it difficult to learn new skills and have a negative outlook on change. They may feel that they are not capable to learn new things and adopt a ‘why even try’ attitude
NEGATIVITY
There are also providers who feel that they are not paid or appreciated enough to take the extra time to go to a training or to implement a new skill.
Talk with your provider, ask questions to determine what is holding them back. Knowing why providers may resist adopting new skills is the first step to understanding how to motivate them.