DB#6

Chapter 6: Motivating Others

BOOK:

*Developing Management Skills

· Author: David A. Whetten and Kim S. Cameron

· Publisher: Pearson

Edition: 9th edition

Motivating Others

After winning an unprecedented seventh NBA title as a coach, Phil Jackson was asked his method for motivating professional basketball players. "I don't motivate my players. You cannot motivate someone, all you can do is provide a motivating environment and the players will motivate themselves" (Jackson, 2000). Successful organizations have highly motivated and committed employees and are well equipped to compete in any market or industry. Whether managers are working with a group of steelworkers, computer programmers, artists, or basketball players, they face a common challenge of fostering a motivating work environment.

Enhancing work performance focuses on specific analytical and behavioral management skills. Diagnosing the performance problem is the first step.

· Performance is a product of ability and motivation.

· Ability is the product of aptitude (native skills and ability), training (education and training), and resources (technical, personal, political)

· Motivation is a product of desire and commitment.

Ability should be assessed during the job-matching process by screening applicants. Motivation represents an employee's desire and commitment to perform the job. The first questions that must be asked by the manager of a poor performer is whether the person's performance deficiencies stem from lack of ability or lack of motivation. Managers need four pieces of information in order to answer this question (Michener, Fleishman, & Vaske, 1976):

1. How difficult are the tasks being assigned to the individual?

2. How capable is the individual?

3. How hard is the individual trying to succeed at the job?

4. How much improvement is the individual making?

The answer to the question is: "Is this an ability or motivation problem?" If poor performers feel that management is insensitive to their problems - that they lack resources, adequate training, or realistic time schedules - they may respond counterproductively to any tactics aimed at increasing their effort.

Enhancing Individuals' Abilities

An ability problem may be assessed improperly during the screening process prior to employment, the technical requirements of a job may have been radically upgraded, or a person who performed very well in one position may be promoted into a higher-level position that is too demanding (The Peter Principle). In addition, human and material resource support may be reduced due to organizational budget cutbacks.

Five principal tools are available for overcoming poor performance problems:

1. Resupply

2. Retrain

3. Refit

4. Reassign

5. Release

Fostering A Motivating Work Environment

Effective managers devote considerable time to gauging and strengthening their subordinates' motivation. In 1960, Douglas McGregor introduced the Theory X and Theory Y views. The Theory X view theorized that people really do not want to work hard or assume responsibility. To get performance from Theory X workers, a manager must coerce, intimidate, manipulate, and closely supervise their employees. Conversely, Theory Y argued that workers basically want to do a good job and assume more responsibility. In this case manager's should assist workers in reaching their potential by productively channeling their motivation to succeed.

Effective motivational programs focus on increasing both satisfaction and productivity. The best managers have productive people who are also satisfied with their work environment (Kotter,1996).

Elements of An Effective Motivation Program

An effective motivation program consists of the following key assumptions:

1. Employees typically start out motivated. Therefore, a lack of motivation is a learned response, often fostered by misunderstood or unrealistic expectations.

2. The role of management is to create a supportive, problem-solving work environment in which facilitation, not control, is the prevailing value.

3. Rewards should encourage high personal performance that is consistent with management objectives.

4. Motivation works best when it is based on self-governance.

5. Individuals should be treated fairly.

6. Individuals deserve timely, honest feedback on work performance.

All elements of the motivation process must be included in a total, integrated program for improving performance and satisfaction (see Table 6.2, Six Elements of an Integrative Motivation Program, p. 333). Motivated employees have the desire to initiate a task and the commitment to do their best. Employees want to know:

· "If I put forth more effort, am I likely to be able to perform up to performance expectations?"

· "Will my level of performance matter to this company?"

· "Will the experience of being a high performer be personally rewarding?"

One of the key ingredients of an effective motivation program is a supportive work environment. Managers should focus on facilitating successful accomplishments by focusing on the ability part of the performance.

· "Do subordinates feel it is possible to achieve this goal?"

Employees appreciate managers who empower them to do assigned tasks, but periodically check to see if further assistance is required. It is frustrating for an employee to feel that the manager has neither the time nor interest to listen to basic questions.

However, managers must understand the needs and expectations of their subordinates. Effective managers can ask subordinates three simple questions:

· "How is your work going?"

· "What do you enjoy the most/least?"

· "How can I help you succeed?"

Asking these questions communicates a supportive style; hearing the answers allows a manager to fine-tune facilitative actions.

Reinforce Performance-Enhancing Behavior

People are motivated by both extrinsic and intrinsic rewards. Effective managers are adept at using the full range of behavior-shaping tools, spanning the spectrum from discipline to rewards. Managers must recognize that their daily interactions with subordinates constitute an important source of motivation. An effective motivational program includes reward systems, such as pay, promotions, benefits, and provides guidelines for fostering subordinate initiative. It is important that managers learn how to use rewards and punishments effectively to produce positive, intended results consistently.

Psychologists call the process of linking rewards and punishments with behaviors in such a manner that the behaviors are more or less likely to persist "operant conditioning" (Komaki, Coombs, & Schepman, 1996). This approach involves the presentation or withdrawal of positive or negative reinforcers or the use of no reinforcement whatsoever.

There are three types of management responses to employee behavior: no response (ignoring), negative response (disciplining), and positive response (rewarding). By definition, if a behavior persists, it is being reinforced. If an employee is chronically late or continually submits sloppy work, the manager must ask where the reinforcement for this behavior is coming from. If the manager ignored the behavior, it is reinforced.

There are three strategies for improving behaviors: reprimand, redirect, reinforce.

1. Reprimand:

· Identify the specific inappropriate behavior. Give examples. Indicate that the action must stop.

· Point out the impact of the problem on the performance of others, on the unit's mission, and so forth.

· Ask questions about causes and explore remedies.

2. Redirect:

· Describe the behaviors or standards you expect. Make sure the individual understands and agrees that these are reasonable.

· Ask if the individual will comply.

· Be appropriately supportive. For example, praise other aspects of the employee's work, identify personal and group benefits of compliance; make sure there are no work-related problems standing in the way of meeting your expectations.

1. Reinforce :

· Identify rewards that are salient to the individual.

· Link the attainment of desirable outcomes with incremental, continuous improvement.

· Reward (including using praise) all improvements in performance in a timely and honest manner.

The subjective value that individuals attach to incentives for performance reflects their personal relevance, or salience. Rewards with little personal value have low motivational potential. These subjective factors combine with the timelines and accuracy of feedback to determine the overall motivational potential of rewards.

Based on the perceptions of the outcomes, employees will experience varying degrees of satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Satisfaction creates a positive feedback loop, increasing the individual's motivation, as manifested by increased effort. Dissatisfaction results in decreased effort and lower performance and rewards. If uncorrected, this pattern may ultimately result in absenteeism or turnover.

Foster Intrinsic Outcomes:

1.  extrinsic outcomes

2.  instrinsic outcomes

Motivating Workers by Redesigning Work:

· Work design

Provide Salient Rewards:

· Personal Needs and Personal Motivation

· Using Need Theory to Identify Personally Salient Outcomes

Be Fair and Equitable:  Equity

Provide Timely Rewards and Accurate Feedback

Read the "Integrative Model of Motivation Enhancement"  page 351

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