Motivation

• Motivation is one of the most important, yet difficult, jobs for media managers. Because human behavior is the result of complex interactions between basic drives, cognitive processes, and environmental factors, it is difficult to motivate, or even predict, behavior.

Motivation

• Because of the complexity of the task, a skilled manager who seeks to motivate employees must be able to function on both macro and micro levels.– On the macro level, managers should make sure to create or

maintain an equitable system of rewards and incentives based on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors.

• Intrinsic factors, as we will see in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, refer to a sense of belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization.

• Extrinsic factors include any form of compensatory reward such as salary/wage, benefits, working conditions, etc.

– Intrinsic and extrinsic rewards are not mutually exclusive categories. For example, working conditions might be a compensatory reward (e.g. a large “corner office”) that is also tied into a sense of esteem.

Motivation

• Another important aspect of macro level motivational communication is to make clear the value of “who we are” and “what we do” (as an organization).– Individuals want to feel as if what they do is

important and makes some positive impact on the society in which they live. This must be made clear in good motivational communication.

Motivation

• On the micro level, managers must know how to interact with individual employees in a way that congruent with the employees goals. In order to do this the manager must be familiar with several aspects of the employee’s profile:– 1) The employee’s job description.– 2) The employee’s talents and skill sets.– 3) The employee’s ambitions and goals.

Motivation

• Employee Selection:– It is important to recognize that in order to use

motivational techniques effectively, employees must be an appropriate fit for the job. This task requires”

• The ability to recognize and objectively evaluate employee skill, talent, and motivation.

• Proper interviewing techniques– As noted in Wicks et al. (2004): “Interviews are not just

negotiations for salary, benefits, and production expectations. They should reveal how the job fits the person seeking employment” (p. 66).

Motivation• Understanding Behavior:• Maslow’s hierarchy of needs:

– Self-Actualization Needs• Autonomy• Creativity• Legacy

– Esteem Needs• Confirmation of professional value.• Proficiency and success.

– Belongingness Needs• Association• Acceptance• Community

– Security Needs• Shelter• Safety

– Physiological Needs• Food• Water• Sex

Figure Courtesy of www.lifeworktransitions.com

Motivation

• Although Maslow originally intended this to be a hierarchy of needs where each level is satisfied before progressing to the next level, it is important to recognize that:– Some needs are only partially satisfied– Individuals pursue multiple needs

simultaneously.

Motivation

• Understanding Behavior (Other Factors):– Classical Conditioning: (Pavlov) Automatic behavior

that is generated by an unconditioned stimulus. For example, under the stress of an impending deadline (unconditioned stimulus), a video editor will work faster (automatic behavior).

– Operant Conditioning: (Skinner) Asserts that behavior is based on rewards and punishments so that a rewarded behavior is likely to be repeated and a punished or unrewarded behavior is not.

Motivation

• Understanding Behavior (Other Factors):– Cognitive Dissonance (Festinger; Aronson) As

conscious human beings, we attempt to behave in a way that is

• (1) consistent with our previous behaviors• (2) consistent with our internal conception of

ourselves (our self-concept).

Motivation

• Understanding Behavior (Other Factors):– Expectancy Theory (Vroom): There are three

requirements for motivation – expectancy, instrumentality, and valence. If one or more of these is lacking, motivation will be reduced.

• Expectancy: The belief that applying skills will result in the successful completion of tasks.

• Instrumentality: The belief that the successful completion of tasks will result in reaching a particular goal.

• Valence: The value that the individual ascribes to particular goal.

Motivation

• Understanding Behavior (Other Factors):– Goal Theory (Locke)

• Behavior is determined by goals that have been formally or informally set by individuals who then perform actions (behaviors) that are in step with achieving those goals.

– The emphasis here should be on goal-setting. The goals that the individual sets should be congruent with the skills, talent, motivation, and experience that he or she possesses.

Motivation

• Understanding Behavior (Flow Theory: Csikszentmihalyi):– We achieve “happiness” when we are in a

situation where we successfully (though not easily) meet or exceed the ongoing challenges that we face through the utilization of our skills.

Motivation

• Applying Our Understanding of Behavior to Motivate Employees:– (1) Considering Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, motivation is the

understanding of all employee needs and the recognition of the current need that dominates (i.e. the level (or multiple levels) that are currently most important to the employee).

– (2) Based on those needs, helping the employee set or recognize goals that are challenging but achievable.

– (3) Once goals are set, clarify the connections between expectancy, instrumentality, and valence.

– (4) Assist the employee in achieving a work sequence that “flows” (uses the momentum or prior success to generate further success).

– (5) Consider other factors such as Classical and Operant conditioning and Cognitive Dissonance that may help or hinder motivation.