By Brian C.
Young
Methods
for Managers to Gauge Motivation Probability
A
Brief Look at Motivation Theories of the Early and Mid Nineteenth Century
Motivation can be defined in a variety of ways, depending on whom you ask.If you ask someone on the street, you may get a response like, “It’s what drives us” or “Motivation is what makes us do the things we do.” As far as a formal definition, motivation can be defined as “forces within an individual that account for the level, direction, and persistence of effort expended at work,” according to Schermerhorn, et al.This is an excellent working definition for use in business.Now that we understand what motivation is, we can look at the factors that help managers to be able to motivate and then a look at some of the theories on motivation.
Methods for Managers
to Gauge Motivation Probability
Employee Selection
A manager’s ability to motivate starts earlier than
most people think with employee selection.The
hiring of employees that are self-motivated is crucial to the success of
any business.If an employee is motivated
from within, then the “motivator” aspect of a manager’s job is less difficult.As
with many ideas, this “easier said than done.”There
is a colossal barrier to only hiring those that are self-motivated.With
the legal restraints today in regard to discrimination, managers often
give up trying to make “good” hiring decisions for fear of discriminating
illegally.Therefore, most managers
have become solely reliant on intuition during the hiring process.The
trick seems to be to try to hire those that are motivated to do what is
best for the organization without discriminating against those who may
be motivated, but not to work, and those that have the skills necessary
for a position but lack the motivation all together.Its
is this challenge that will puzzle today’s managers and those of tomorrow.
High Organizational Expectations
Another method that managers can utilize to help them motivate their employees is incorporating high organizational expectations.Some leaders and managers build important productivity expectations into their organizational cultures.These expectations include a sense of responsibility, high productivity, and quality of output.These expectations are impressed upon new employees.These managers show this by having new employees watch “pace setters” to demonstrate that these expectations are taken very seriously throughout the organization.
By employing these two methods, managers, more than likely, will not need to motivate their employees as much or as often.This is not to say that motivation can be neglected at any point.Managers must continually motivate their employees, but this can be made easier by attempting to hire self-motivated employees and impressing high standards upon them and reinforcing the standards on a daily basis.
A Brief Look at Motivation
Theories of the Early and Mid Nineteenth Century
Ivan Pavlov
Pavlov did extensive studies on classical conditioning.Classical
conditioning is “a form of learning through association that involves the
manipulation of stimuli to influence behavior.”More
simply, within organizations, employees associate an action with a following
action, and then they expect the following action each time the initial
action appears.This is a natural
reaction for some.Pavlov’s theory
is difficult to argue with and is applicable today and probably will be
for a long time.
Abraham Maslow
Maslow developed a “hierarchy of needs” or an order
of needs that need to be fulfilled in each person.If
a manager embraces Maslow’s hierarchy, he/she will motivate employees,
keeping the order of needs in mind.The
hierarchy of needs is shown below:
1.Self actualization – need to grow and use abilities to the fullest; highest need
2.Esteem – need for respect, prestige, and recognition from others as well as self esteem and personal sense of competence
3.Social – need for love, affection, and belongingness in one’s relationships with others
4.Safety – need for security, protection, and stability in the personal events of everyday life
5.Physiological – most basic of human needs; need for food, water, and sustenance
Using this theory, managers can use the hierarchy
to motivate people by satisfying the most important needs.
David I. McClelland
McClelland and his associates came up with a test
to measure human needs.They came
up with three: need for achievement, need for affiliation, and need for
power.According to McClelland,
these needs are acquired with time and life experience.McClelland
urged managers to be able to identify these needs in others to help themselves
understand how to motivate individuals.Different
motivation approaches would be used depending upon which need is identified.McClelland’s
ideas are very good, according to this author, and they can be applied
today and tomorrow.
Frederick Herzberg
Herzberg developed his two factor theory, taking
a different approach from others.Herzberg
argues that hygiene factors in the work setting are sources for job dissatisfaction.Also,
he says that motivator factors in work tasks are sources for job satisfaction.His
theories can summarized by quote from him, “If you want people to do a
good job, give them a good job to do.”The
theory of Herzberg may seem a little vague, but it is based on superb ideas.The
two factor theory may be as useful, or more, than other theories of the
time, because job context and content are major issues in the business
world today.
Victor Vroom
Vroom’s expectancy theory argues that motivation
is based in values and beliefs of individuals, or how a person feels effort,
performance and outcomes.He developed
an equation to “calculate” motivation using three factors:
1.Expectancy – the probability that effort will be followed by personal accomplishment.
2.Instrumentality – the probability that performance will lead to outcomes
3.Valence
-the
value of an individual of an outcome
Vroom argues that a manager can use the equation M = E * I * V to predict whether a particular reward will motivate an individual.While the basis of Vroom’s expectancy theory is very good, the equation seems a little awkward today.
A Look at a More
Recent Theory
Sheila Ritchie and Peter Martin
Ritchie and Martin developed their motivation management
theory in the late 1990’s.The basic
assumption is that “‘the task of the manager is to find out what motivates
people’ and to make them ‘smile more and carp less.’”From
literature and their own observations, they identified twelve “motivational
drivers.”These include human needs
for interesting work, achievement, self development, variety, creativity,
power, influence, social contact, money and tangible rewards, structure
and rules, long-term relationships, and good working conditions.They
then developed a motivational profile survey with thirty-three questions.After
scoring, a unique pattern of the individual’s motivational drivers is revealed
that can be compared to the data of the original one thousand three hundred
fifty-five respondents.
Knowing an individual’s profile, a manager can then tailor a motivation method for that person.For instance, if a manager is considering giving an employee a raise and their profile shows that creativity and variety motivate this person, then the manager should reward accordingly, not with a raise.Ritchie and Martin claim that each of the twelve drivers is independent of the others.The motivation management theory of Ritchie and Martin would be classified as a content theory, which suggest that motivation results from the individual’s attempts to satisfy needs.The order of the twelve drivers listed above reflects the profile scores of the original sample.This is to say that, among this group of managers, the needs for interesting work and achievement were most important (note: money came ninth in the original study).
Comparison Between the
Two Generations
Both generations of theory have strengths and weaknesses
when compared to the other.We will
examine these differences in the following paragraphs.
Out With the Old, In With the New
Ritchie and Martin’s study is based on contemporary
data that is more credible in today’s business world, instead of data that
is fifty to sixty years old.Motivation
management can also serve as a tool for self analysis and for individual
or group motivation profiles.Ritchie
and Martin also recognize a wide range of individual differences, rather
than one universal approach.Maslow
and Herzberg both argued that their respective theories applied to everyone.Lastly,
it offers a guide for managers who are seeking to improve individual and
group motivation.Ritchie and Martin
advise managers to focus on the motivational profile of the person, regardless
of occupational or cultural background.
Motivation Theories are Like Wine; They Get Better
With Age
The factors of the older theories are based on evidence, and Ritchie and Martin’s twelve drivers seem to be somewhat arbitrary.Sampling in the older theories was generally more diverse.Motivation management was based on a study of all managers of training programs.Also, there was no mention by the group of managers of the basic needs such as food, drink, sex, and security.Many parallels are apparent in the motivational factors of motivation management and it’s predecessors.All of the factors seen in this modern theory have been seen before, thus any claim of originality would have to be considered somewhat suspect in the least.
Motivation management is a modern, practical approach
that will be useful to management trainers and trainees.Also,
it will be a good guide in solving motivation problems within an organization.In
reality, it does not add significantly to the theories of Pavlov, Maslow,
McClelland, Herzberg, and Vroom.It
seems to borrow a little from each of their works on motivation.
Motivation is a continuous challenge among managers today.The problems and solutions to motivation problems can be complex to say the least.Tools and ideas are available to managers and leaders to help with motivation.Studying the timeless theories of Herzberg, McClelland, Vroom, Pavlov, and Maslow can provide ideas and solutions to motivation problems.Motivation management and the individual motivation profile are also useful tools in discovering how to motivate certain individuals.Improving motivation starts with employee selection and high organizational expectations.Managers that utilize these tools and ideas can be successful motivators.
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I am Brian Young. I consider my hometown to be Great Bend, Kansas. I am a senior Emporia State University, and will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management in the Spring of 2001. I have plans to enter management with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. after graduation.
This page was last updated on Novemner 30, 2000.
If you have questions or comments, e-mail me, bcyoung@carrollsweb.com.