MOTIVATION AND PERFORMANCE

Compiled by: Gp Capt KW Kirinde (Retd), psc

July 2005

The word motivation actually comes from the latin word ‘movere’ which means ‘to move’.

What is motivation?

You have a car with a full tank of petrol, a well tuned engine, good set of tires, quadraphonic CD system, and a sleek, polished exterior. There it sits. This car has incredible potential. However until a driver sits behind the wheel, puts the key in the ignition, and cranks it up, the car doesn’t function. The KEY is MOTIVATION.

Source: Internet

In a managerial context motivation is getting people to exert a high degree of effort on their job.

 

Organisation and Motivation

An organization is a group of people working to achieve a common aim. Here the people should be motivated to work towards the aim.

Management and Motivation

Management is getting a job done by working with and through people. Here too the people should be motivated to do the work assigned to them.

But what could be the reality !

In Reality

As far as people are concerned “motivation” becomes a difficult exercise both in terms of “organisation” and “management” because,

In Reality

Organisation is a group of ordinary people trying to do or doing extra ordinary things.

In Reality

Management is getting people to do things that they don’t like to do.

But we have to learn and practice what has been written on motivation.

To get,

• Ordinary people to do extra ordinary things.

• People to do things that they don’t like to do.

WHY?

Performance and Motivation

High performance is related to,

  Effort - Amount of physical and mental energy spent

  Abilities - Knowledge, skills, techniques right attitudes and experience

• Environment – Totality of all the forces and institutions that are external

Therefore a motivated person in relation to performance is,

       A person who works hard

        A person who sustains the pace of hard work

        A person whose behavior is self directed toward important goals

 

-- Personnel goals     High income    Career development    Training and development    Job satisfaction    Recognition    Opportunities for achievement

Organisational goals

Hence from an organisational and a management point of view the best way to motivate a person is by bridging the gap between organizational goals and personal goals.

Now we will study the subject of motivation in a theoretical sense

Need - A felt deficiency of some basic satisfaction

Drive - The behavioral out come of the need

Behaviour - The personal conduct

Goal - The fulfillment of the need

Reward - Something received in return for satisfying the need

 

Process of motivation

Theories of motivation

• A.H. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory - based on human needs

• McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y – based on assumptions

• Fredrich Herzberg’s two factor theory – based on a study of need satisfactions

Self ActualisationBecoming what one is capable of becoming- realizing one’s potential

Esteem NeedsSelf Acceptance, Recognition, Status, Influence, Respect

Social NeedsLove, Togetherness, Association, Friendship

Safety or Security Needs Protection from Physical Harm, Ill Health, Economic Disaster and the Unexpected and Job Security

Physiological Needs

Food, Water, Air, Shelter, Clothes, Sex, Sleep

A.H. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y

Theory X (Traditional assumption)

-         The typical person dislikes work and will avoid it if possible.

 

-         The typical person lacks responsibility and has little ambition and seeks security above all.

 

-         Most people must be coerced; controlled and threatened with punishment to get them work.

 

 

Theory Y (Human relations assumption)

 *     Work is natural as play and rest.

   *   People are not inherently lazy. They have become that way as a result of experience.

   *   People will exercise self-direction and self control in the service of objectives to which they are committed.

   * People have potential under proper conditions. They learn to accept and seek responsibility. They have the imagination, ingenuity and creativity that they can apply to work.

 

Fredrich Herzberg’s two factor theory

Dissatisfiers

• Company policy and administration

•        Supervision

•        Relationship with Supervisor

•        Work conditions

•        Salary

•        Relationship with peers

•        Security

 

Satisfiers

        Achievement

        Recognition

        Work itself

        Responsibility

        Advancement

        Growth