How to Stay Motivated When Your Manager Isn’t? 6 Practical Strategies to Ignite Your Motivation

By Adrian Cameron, Assistant Director of Information Technology at Rutgers University Division of Continuing Studies and Dr. Nicol Nicola, Director at New Jersey Department of Labor, Adjunct Professor, and Leadership Facilitator.

In today's complex workplace, many of us encounter managers who seem to operate on autopilot—completing their basic responsibilities but not actively engaging in the developmental aspects of leadership. While considering this situation as a leadership deficit is easy, the reality can be more complex than one perceives. Managers may be dealing with personal challenges, adapting to organizational changes, or responding to industry-wide pressures–all factors contributing to co-opting their attention.

Understanding why managers might lack motivation reveals an important insight: leadership motivation exists on a spectrum rather than as a simple yes-or-no state. This understanding becomes particularly valuable as you advance into leadership roles yourself, helping you develop strategies to maintain your own motivation and support your team's growth.

When managers struggle to provide motivational leadership, employees often find themselves at a crossroads: They can either accept the status quo, take ownership of their professional growth, or choose self-motivation to counteract the demotivated leader. This situation, while challenging, can become an opportunity to develop self-leadership skills that will prove valuable throughout one's career.

In this article, we’ll explore six practical strategies to help you navigate working under a manager whose leadership style has remained stagnant for some time, a leader whose approach to leadership is like a horizontal line on a graph, lacking trends, fluctuations, or insights that could guide decision-making and growth. In the ever-changing work landscape, continuous adaptation and innovation have become essential for career growth, in our opinion. Understanding how to navigate this environment effectively becomes crucial for professional advancement and job satisfaction.

1. Build a Strong Social Network:

• If your manager doesn’t invest in motivating or engaging you, take the initiative to collaborate with colleagues, other teams, or leaders within your organization. A strong professional network can provide fresh perspectives, new learning opportunities, and motivation to think outside the box.
• For example, Dr. Nicol Nicola has worked under leaders who lacked ambition beyond fulfilling their basic duties. To stay engaged, she sought out colleagues and other leaders within her organization to expand her knowledge and keep herself motivated. A solid social network enhances your knowledge and fosters personal and professional growth.

2. Volunteer at Work or in Your Community:

• Another effective way to stay motivated is through volunteering—either within your organization or your local community.
• For instance, Dr. Nicola volunteers as a mentor within her organization and also at a local theater in her town. Engaging in volunteer work expands her network, provides a sense of purpose, and keeps her motivated to improve daily.
• When you contribute to a cause beyond your immediate job responsibilities, it boosts your morale, sharpens your leadership skills, and helps you build meaningful connections.

3. The Positive Influence of Continuous Training:

• Investing in training and education is another great way to maintain motivation. Whether it’s professional development opportunities within your organization or external training programs (in-person or virtual), learning new skills keeps your work engaging.
• Aim to take at least one training session per quarter—or even better, once a month or weekly—depending on your schedule. Training opportunities can be expensive, but you can take advantage of self-guided resources and free platforms, like YouTube videos. Focus on areas where you want to grow, such as communication, leadership, or analytical skills. Then, apply what you’ve learned to your work so you can innovate and improve your contributions.
• For example, pursuing a degree or certification in a field related to your passion can provide new strategies and insights that can be directly implemented in your job.

4. Establishing Your Own Recognition Scheme:

• In the absence of regular feedback from your manager, develop a personal system to track and celebrate your achievements. Maintain a "wins journal" documenting your successes, positive feedback from colleagues, and completed milestones.
• For instance, you might create a monthly self-review process to evaluate your progress against personal goals and acknowledge your growth. This practice helps maintain motivation through tangible evidence of your progress.

5. Focus on Value Creation:

• Shift your focus from seeking managerial approval to measuring the impact of your work on customers, colleagues, and the organization.
• For example, if you're in customer service, track positive client feedback. If you're in operations, measure process improvements you've implemented. Understanding your contributions' tangible impact can be a powerful intrinsic motivator. These metrics can also be items shared on your resume and in job interviews.

6. Practice Self-Leadership:

• Take initiative in areas within your control. This might involve suggesting process improvements, developing innovative solutions to existing problems, or identifying new growth opportunities.
• Consider creating personal quarterly objectives that align with but go beyond your basic job requirements.
• Set aside time to update your wins journal with categories like 'Problem Solved,' 'Impact Created,' 'Skills Developed,' and 'Lessons Learned.' This comprehensive approach not only maintains motivation but also builds a strong foundation for performance reviews and career advancement discussions.

Bottom Line:

Throughout our careers, we will encounter leaders who inspire us and others who fail to engage us. However, our motivation shouldn’t be entirely dependent on them. It’s up to us to create an environment that fuels our passion and growth—even when external motivation is lacking. Motivation is ultimately an internal force, and while external factors like supportive leadership can enhance it, developing strong self-motivation skills and a keen awareness of workplace dynamics will serve you throughout your career.

By implementing these strategies, you're not just surviving under an unmotivated manager—you're building valuable skills that will serve you in any future role. A crucial leadership skill is the ability to stay driven and enthusiastic, even in challenging circumstances.

We don’t live in a Utopian world where everything aligns the way we want. In reality, we often don’t get all the ideal conditions at work. But by proactively building a supportive network, volunteering, investing in continuous learning, establishing our own recognition scheme, focusing on value creation, and practicing self-leadership, we can stay motivated, innovate in our roles, and find fulfillment in our careers.