Motivation and inspiration are two terms which are used interchangeably. But there exists a difference between the two. Motivation propels an individual to complete a task, while inspiration drives an individual to accomplish beyond her capabilities.

Motivation is external oriented force that pushes us forward. The drive to achieve a specific goal needs the support of motivation. Gains in the shape of rewards, recognition, all add up to motivating an individual. Every individual has a specific goal in mind. It could be to earn money for leading a good life, to accept recognition from the people for her achievements, or to be accepted in a society. Fear is another factor that can initiate motivation. The fear of law stops her from committing a crime.

Inspiration, on the other hand, is a self driven strength of the mind that takes us forward. It encourages people to reach a meaningful output. Inspiration leads to innovation.

While motivation is dependent on the current situation, inspiration has a more longer term impact. Inspiration awakes the mind to accept new ideas. Motivation, on the other hand, directs our action to the final result. Inspiration has a longer life than motivation. Once a particular objective is attained, motivation reduces to zero. The need of the mind is represented by inspiration. Inspiration is intangible in nature, but the results of motivation can be experienced. For example, monetary benefits, appreciation on the work done by co-workers motivate the individual to continue her efforts. But after sometime the mind demands more. A mere pat on the shoulder fails to instigate the decided outcome.

For an organization, its employees need to be motivated to achieve their goals, this is a given. A company where the staff is not motivated is bound to be rife with problems such as attrition, low morale, and low productivity rates. Thus, motivating the employees time and again is necessary to achieve the goals of an organization. This could be achieved by the top management addressing the employees and listening to them. When the employee realizes that his views matter in the company, it is enough to motivate him to strive harder. Aforementioned activities should also be followed by a healthy reward scheme. Rewards could vary from merit based salary increment to spot rewards or periodic rewards.

An organization which has its leaders inspired grows by leaps and bounds. Inspiration is far more powerful than motivation. Inspiration as mentioned earlier is self driven. Inspired leaders can become a cult figure in themselves; N.R. Narayana Murthy is a fine example of an inspired leader. The results are for everybody to see, the company that started in a modest way, is one of the most respected companies in India and the world today.

While a motivated staff is necessary for an organization to reach its goals, a base of inspired leaders enables a company to take quantum jumps and transform itself to an organization of far more success.