Motivation is an ironic topic this week as I am struggling to find it for the Week 3 assignments on a fine Saturday night. I don't want to get too thick here and will take a page from Lafe's book in brevity. I like bullet points. Lets use them!
What did the author present that applies to your work setting?
* I'm in sales. Motivation is everything; both my own desire to be a Sales Phenom for sheer vanity and my uncapped earning potential. Hitting my draw is obviously a big motivator, but once you get over that draw that commission check can get pretty attractive.
* Motivation is a tricky thing sales and, I believe, largely internal so Shah and Shah's references definitions of "Achievement Motivation", "Competence Motivation" and "Incentive Motivations" (Shah & Shah, 2007).
What did the authors present that you most agree with?
* I strongly agree with their assertion that motivation, satisfaction and inspiration are all related forces which interact with each other.
* The entire section of "Being a Motivating Manager" really speaks to me. In my professional career there are 11 individuals whom I have reported to directly and it has a been a diverse cross section of motivators ranging from those I would work with again in a heartbeat to those who genuinely deserve a lifetime in the unemployment line. Point seven about Non-Financial Rewards really is very important.
What do you define as motivation?
* Simple. How badly do you really care about overcoming the obstacles toward completing a task.
* Having the will to accomplish something.
Which theory of motivation applies to your current work place? Is it working?
* Jeremy Bentham's "The Carrot and the Stick Approach" is most applicable.
* However Douglas McGregor's "Theory X and Theory Y" approach is a strong contender. We are currently working very hard at move away from the authoritarian X to the participative Y.
* Is it working? Depends on who you talk to. There is progress however glacial the speed may be.
How can you apply the info presented to improve your professional communication?
* Whatever theory you are subscribing to, be cognisant of the motivators and motivation level of the people you are communicating with.
* It is VERY hard to do but be a motivating force to those around you, not a toxic demotivating force. By understanding the ways in which motivation CAN work you can apply the best tactics to be a leader.
What must you understand about motivation to be a successful 21st century leader?
* People are no longer willing to spend a lifetime doing something they don't absolutely love. The less motivating their work environment, the less likely they are to a.) stick around for any length of time or b.) contribute to your organization while they're there.
* To that end, "Treat Staff Well" and "Think Like a Winner" are the two biggest roles of a successful, motivating manager.
Enrichment
* I did read "Practical Assessment, Research and Evaluation", which was simply a more in depth look at a few of the motivation theories put forth by Herzberg and Maslow.
* This article actually got me thinking. I read everything in the context of my professional life. I think I need to be applying some of the MCM lessons and in particular motivation, to my personal life. The research described in this article explains that the sources and applications of motivation are not necessarily universal across all professions sighting that "...teachers in the program do not match the behavior of people employed in business" (Gawell, 1997). Well, hell. If motivation can vary from one PROFESSION to another, imagine how much it can vary from professional life, to family life, to personal activities! Really interesting.
Gawel, J. (1997). Herzberg's theory of motivation and maslow's hierarchy of needs. Practical Assessment, Researtch & Evaluation, 5(11). Retrieved June 4, 2007, from http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=5&n=11.
Shah, K. & Shaw, P. (n.d.) Motivation. Retrieved July 10. 2007, from http://www.laynetworks.com/Motivation.html.
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