MOTIVATION AT WORK, MOTIVATION AND LEADERSHIP:What Factors Diminish Motivation in the Workplace

<< MOTIVATION:Guidelines for Delegating, Human Resource Approach

LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION:Communication & the Four Management Functions >>

Leadership & Team Management MGMT 623

Lesson 22

MOTIVATION AT WORK, MOTIVATION AND LEADERSHIP

Work motivation explains why employees behave as they do. Four prominent theories about work

motivation need theory, expectancy theory, equity theory, and organizational justice theory

provide complementary approaches to understanding and managing motivation in organizations.

Similarly Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs also help us to understand the employees work

behavior. Each theory answers different questions about the motivational process.

Work motivation can be defined as the psychological forces within a person that determine the

direction of a person's behavior in an organization, a person's level of effort, and a person's level of

persistence in the face of obstacles.

Three Approaches to Motivation:

Individual Differences Approach: Treats motivation as a characteristic of the individual.

Job & Organization Approach: Emphasizes the design of jobs and the general organizational

environment

Managerial Approach: Focuses on behaviors of managers, in particular, their use of goals and rewards

Needs Theories of Motivation:

Basic idea: Individuals have needs that, when unsatisfied, will result in motivation. Different

theories already discussed in chapter number 21 can also explain this phenomenon.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs is the most well-

known theory of motivation. He hypothesized that within every human being there exists a

hierarchy of five needs

Motivation-Hygiene theory: hygiene theory. Proposed by psychologist Frederick

Herzberg when he investigated the question, "What do people want from their jobs?" He

asked people to describe, in detail, situations in which they felt exceptionally good or bad

about their jobs.

Alderfer's ERG theory: Clayton Alderfer's existence-relatedness-growth (ERG) theory

builds on some of Maslow's thinking but reduces the number of universal needs from five

to three and is more flexible on movement between levels.

McClelland's Theory of Needs: The theory focuses on three needs: achievement, power,

and affiliation. Need for achievement: The drive to excel, to achieve in relation to a set of

standards, to strive to succeed

What Factors Diminish

Motivation in the Workplace?

· Unpredictable change in

Meaningless tasks

direction

Red tape

· Lack of recognition

Lack of clear goals

· Absence of humor

Failure to set priorities

· Micromanagement

Distractions

· Failure to delegate

Over-commitment

· Bureaucratic hurdles

Information overload

· Interpersonal conflict

No positive feedback

· Lack of accountability

Lack of autonomy

Leadership & Team Management MGMT 623

What are Some of the Results of

Poor Motivation in the Workplace?

Frustration

Laziness

Conflict

Failure

Lack of meaning

Poor quality

Absence of pride

Resistance

Resentment

Avoidance

Turnover

Tardiness

Detachment

Burnout

Discouragement

Demoralization

Negative

organizational culture

Causes of Motivational Problems:

Belief that effort will not result in performance.

Belief that performance will not result in rewards.

What are Some of the Most Powerful

Motivators in our Lives?

Commitment

· Sense of

accomplishment

Money

· Cultural norms

Meaning

· Chance to make a

Recognition

difference

Love

· Independence

Participation

· Opportunity to serve

Emotion

· Duty

Appreciation

· Habit

Collegiality

· High energy level

Competition

· Perceived need for

Hate

change

Religious beliefs

How Can You Motivate Yourself?

Stick with your passions.

Share your enthusiasm.

Hang out with high achievers.

Flavor tedium with pleasure.

Go with your strengths.

Make lists.

Stay focused on results.

Just do something.

How Can You Motivate Others?

Associate with highly motivated people.

Set a measurable goal.

Make a compelling case.

Use emotional temptation.

Set a fire and keep it going.

Make it fun.

Explain how.

Keep doing something new and different.

Celebrate

Employee Motivation:

Good leadership is key

Create a culture of trust

Encourage risk taking

Leadership & Team Management MGMT 623

Foster ownership

Goal-directed efforts

Applying Motivational Concepts:

Recognize individual differences

Match people to jobs

Set challenging goals

Encourage participation

Individualize rewards

Link rewards to performance

Check for equity

Don't ignore money

Conditions of Leadership Motivation:

Leadership generates motivation when:

o It increases the number and kinds of payoffs

o Path to the goal is clear and easily traveled with coaching and direction

o Obstacles and roadblocks are removed

o The work itself is personally satisfying

Money as a Motivator:

According to Maslow and Alderfer, pay should prove especially motivational to people who

have strong lower-level needs.

If pay has this capacity to fulfill a variety of needs, then it should have good potential as a

motivator.

The Role of Money:

They value their services and place high value on them

They perceive money as symbol of their achievement

They do not remain in low paying organization

They are very self confident

Know their abilities and limitations

Methods for Motivating Employees:

o Set Goals

o Use Pay for Performance

o Improve Merit Pay

o Use Recognition

o Use Positive Reinforcement

o Use Behavior Management

o Empower Employees

o Enrich the Jobs

o Use Skill-Based Pay

o Provide Lifelong Learning

o Create motivating environment

o Be positive

Table of Contents: