The Five Categories of Motivation for Change
- Greg Mullen
- 15 hours ago
- 7 min read
Change doesn’t happen overnight—and it certainly doesn’t happen without motivation. When schools are considering implementing change, it is rarely a simple decision-- it's a complex, human-centered process. Whether a teacher is shifting instructional practices, a team adopting new curricula, or a school transforming its culture, motivation is a critical but often overlooked driver of success. This article introduces five categories of motivation for change that can help school leaders and staff reflect on their readiness, resistance, and leadership strategies when guiding others, each other, and themselves through change.
These categories are best considered alongside the Stages of Change described in the Trans-Theoretical Model (TTM) for behavior change. When paired with the collaborative, non-confrontational communication strategies of Motivational Interviewing, they form the basis for my Trailblazing Change model, a system for helping individuals and organizations implement meaningful, personalized change initiatives.
Here’s a breakdown of the five categories of motivation for change and how each plays a pivotal role in your personal development journey:
Category 1: Value Proposition
This category addresses the perceived value of a particular change. It asks whether a person recognizes the benefits of a particular change. It asks if school staff see meaningful benefits in modifying current practices, routines, or beliefs—and whether those benefits feel worth the effort. Individuals and teams are more likely to commit to change when they can identify clear and collectively meaningful reasons for doing so.
Without a compelling reason to change, motivation wanes. When staff identify long-term gains—such as improved student engagement, more inclusive learning environments, or reduced burnout—they begin to see change as not just desirable, but necessary.
Reflection Questions:
Do we believe this change will improve student outcomes or the school environment?
What long-term benefits can we expect for our teaching practices and school culture?
What problems might persist or worsen if we do not pursue this change?
Recognizing the value of change can spark momentum, but it may not be enough to push a team from reflection into action. Especially when staff feel overextended or skeptical of past initiatives, a compelling "why" must be supported by other categories of motivation, such as clarity in confidence, decision-making, and community support from a shared identity.
Category 2: Decisional Balance
This category centers on the process of evaluating the trade-offs between maintaining current practices and adopting new ones. For school teams, this often means weighing the cost of change (time, energy, professional risk) against its potential benefits.
Change often stalls when the perceived cons outweigh the pros. This process helps staff and leadership reassess assumptions and surface unspoken fears, so the team can better frame the change as a rational and values-aligned step forward.
Reflection Questions:
What are the risks or sacrifices involved in making this change?
What are the risks of not making it?
Are we focusing more on short-term discomfort than long-term benefit?
Have we considered how this change might evolve with support and refinement?
Clarifying trade-offs can provide strategic clarity but may still leave teams stuck in analysis paralysis. If thoughtful discussion doesn’t lead to forward movement, it’s worth exploring whether other categories are still missing from the conversation, such as confidence, cultural alignment, or a shared vision.
Category 3: Self-Efficacy
This category focuses on the belief that school leaders, teams, or individuals can actually carry out the change. Self-Esteem (how one values their contributions) and Self-Confidence (belief in general competence) influence one’s Self-Image—the internal narrative of who we are as educators—which shapes perceived Self-Worth. These foundational beliefs directly impact Self-Efficacy: the belief that "we can do this." This category recognizes that the power of change in a group setting can be strengthened by addressing individual confidence in their capacity to succeed with the change.
Even when change is well-justified and widely supported, it won’t stick unless staff believe they have the skills, time, resources, and leadership support to implement it.
Reflection Questions:
Do we genuinely believe we have the capacity to implement this change?
Have we succeeded with similar initiatives in the past?
What supports (coaching, collaboration, time) would boost our confidence?
Belief in our ability to succeed builds resilience and supports persistence. But confidence, like trust, erodes quickly in unsupportive or chaotic environments. If the group lacks belief in its collective efficacy, it may be necessary to adjust expectations, scaffold new skills, and celebrate small wins to rebuild momentum. If, after addressing these concerns, change is still lacking, it may be that confidence is not as much of an issue as the other categories of motivation, such as the value, cost-benefit, and perceived shift in identity and support for the proposed change initiative.
Categories 4 and 5: Identity & Community
These two categories explore the intersection of personal or professional identity and the social environment for that identity. For educators, change often challenges deeply held beliefs about who they are as teachers, team members, or leaders.
Motivation increases when change feels aligned with who we are and want to be, and is strengthened further when we're part of a community that reinforces that identity. Conversely, if a teacher fears that adopting a new approach will separate them from their peers, or will shift the group identity towards one that is misunderstood or viewed as undesirable, this can signal a shift in core values and spark resistance toward the change.
Reflection Questions:
Are there specific opinions, biases, or perspectives that disagree with the change?
Does this change align with our collective vision of excellent teaching?
Do we have a shared culture that supports innovation and risk-taking?
Are there networks (PLCs, leadership teams, mentorships) reinforcing this shift?
Feeling aligned with your identity and being supported by others can significantly boost your motivation to change, but that sense of identity and belonging alone does not guarantee change. Without clarity on why the change matters, what it will cost, and whether you feel capable of following through with a change, identity and community may lead to passive or superficial involvement in the change process. If this community connection and strength of self-image aren’t pushing you or your team forward, it may be that the other categories of motivation need to be addressed. What's important to remember is that each category plays a distinct role in the readiness of an individual and team, and sustained change requires a balanced reflection across all five of these categories to turn potential into progress.
Change in Stages and Processes: Understanding Readiness and Resistance
Although not a “category” in the same sense as the others, your Stage of Change provides essential context. There are five stages and each one involves a distinct perspective toward a particular change in a behavior, practice, or mindset. There are also ten processes that overlap and align across those five stages of change.
Knowing your stage helps you tailor your strategies according to specific processes. For example, someone in the "Contemplation" stage may need to focus more on Dramatic Relief and Self-Reevaluation, while someone in "Action" may need more support in Social Liberation and Reinforcement Management.
Identify your stage of change by selecting the specific statement that best reflects your current opinion about a particular change:
The proposed change would be a terrible decision for at least one specific reason.
I can see the proposed change works for some people but I am not interested in making such a change myself.
I don't think the proposed change is necessarily bad; I'm just not clear on how the change would help me or my organization to improve.
I’ve been thinking about making this change and am seeking more information about tools and resources to take the initial steps.
I've taken a few initial steps toward the proposed change and am still unsure about certain obstacles and barriers that have come up in actually doing the change.
I've made the proposed change part of my routine for at least six months and am always looking for ways to anticipate and avoid regressing into past behaviors.
I no longer think about the change since it has become second nature to my lifestyle and community; I help others with this change and am happy with its outcomes.
The first two statements reflect the Precontemplation Stage. The next four statements reflect the Contemplation, Preparation, Action, and Maintenance Stages. The last statement reflects the Termination Stage which can lead to resistance towards changing that behavior (i.e. Precontemplation or Contemplation) if not addressed intentionally.
As for the ten processes, this gets into a deeper conversation about how to navigate and reflect on deeper transformational changes. By first understanding your current stage, you can clarify what type of support or reflection you may need, but simply knowing your stage won’t move you forward without targeted action. Awareness provides useful direction but it won’t fill in the motivational gaps around value, confidence, decision-making, or connection. So if simply naming your stage doesn’t feel like enough, it’s likely because it isn't enough. Deeper reflection is often needed for significant changes to routines, beliefs, and behaviors. The five motivational categories together offer a complete roadmap—one that helps you navigate not just where you are, but how to move purposefully toward where you want to be.
Putting It All Together
These five motivational categories—Value Proposition, Decisional Balance, Self-Efficacy, Identity, and Community—provide a robust framework for guiding reflection during school change initiatives. They help leadership teams understand not just what change is needed, but why it may or may not gain traction among individuals.
These categories are most powerful when integrated with the Stages of Change and the conversational strategies of Motivational Interviewing. By mapping where staff are in their readiness journey and using these categories to surface root causes of resistance, leaders can better support growth, build relational trust, and co-create meaningful progress.
Remember: change isn’t just about logistics or compliance. It’s about cultivating a shared belief that the change matters, that it’s possible, and that it’s worth doing together. When resistance inevitably appears, it's critical that the resistance not be viewed solely as dissent but as a means for communicating genuine needs and concerns. Not all plans for change have considered all aspects and outcomes; it's important to listen to your team and recognize that the whole of the organization may be greater than the sum of each of its parts, but that it is in each of those parts that the whole is formed and its greatness sustained over time.
Reach out to discuss how these categories can be integrated into your change leadership practices, professional learning structures, or implementation strategy sessions in your school or district.
Greg Mullen
April 12, 2025