Motivational Skills
Dr. Rajendra Suwal
Management and Leadership Development
Specialist
December 5, 2014
Overview of the Session
• Understanding the concept of
Motivation
• Evolution of Motivation Theory
• Applying Motivational Theory
• Motivation of Self and others
• Motivation in the context of Army
The Need for Motivation
• Management’s goal is to Get the job done
effectively
• Requires job performance by employees
• Job performance = f (ability x motivation)
• Ability = f (Aptitude x Training x
Resources)
• Motivation = f (Desire x Commitment)
• Motivation is, therefore, one of the key
factors for effective management
Motivation
• “You can lead a horse to water but you
cannot make it to drink.”
• “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.”
Phil Jackson after winning his 7th NBA title as a coach.
What is Motivation?
• It is the internal drive to accomplish a particular
goal. In a work setting, motivation is what makes
people want to work
• It is, therefore, a person's desire and
commitment to exert high levels of efforts toward
organizational goals, conditioned by the effort's
ability to satisfy some individual need.
• Motivating – the process of arousing and
sustaining goal-directed behavior
Where Does It Come From?
• The Person
– Human Needs
– Liking of the task
• The Environment
– Enriched Job Tasks
– Goal setting interventions
– Leader behavior
– Group Norms and Organizational Culture
Evolution of Motivation Theory
• Scientific Management (Frederic Taylor)
• Hawthorne Studies (Elton Mayo)
• Hierarchy of Needs (Abraham Maslow)
• Theories X and Y (Douglas McGregor)
• Motivator-Hygiene Theory (Frederic
Herzberg)
• Achievement Motivation Theory (David
McClelland)
Scientific Management
• Designed by Fredrick Taylor
• Assumes all people are motivated by
economic means
• Based on 4 principles
– Develop a scientific approach to each job
element
– Scientifically select, train, teach, & develop
employees
– Encourage cooperation between workers &
managers
– Divide work among workers & managers
based on who is best suited for it
The Hawthorne Studies
• Experimented with job design, length of
work day and week, break times, and
incentives
• Hawthorne Effect
• Social needs also play an important role
in employee motivation
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
• Based on universal human needs
individuals act to meet their unmet needs
• Managers try to create workplace that will
increase the likelihood that employees
will meet all of their needs
• If appealing to an already met need, it’s
hard to motivate an employee
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Self-
actualization
needs
Esteem
needs
Social needs
Safety needs
Physiological needs
McGregor’s Theories X and Y
• 2 contrasting sets of assumptions about
human nature
– Theory X – pessimistic
– Theory Y – optimistic
• A manager’s view of human nature affects
the way they motivate and manage
employees
• McGregor believed Theory Y explained
most employees
Herzberg’s Motivator-Hygiene Theory
• “What do people really want from their work
experience?”
– Motivating factors create job satisfaction
– Hygiene factors create job dissatisfaction
• Proper management of hygiene factors can
prevent dissatisfaction but cannot provide
motivation
• Management needs to focus on job satisfiers
Motivation–Hygiene
Theory of Motivation
• Company policy and Motivation factors
administration increase job satisfaction
• Supervision
• Interpersonal relations
• Working conditions • Achievement
• Salary • Achievement recognition
• Status • Work itself
• Security • Responsibility
• Advancement
• Growth
Hygiene factors avoid
job dissatisfaction
• Salary?
Does Money Motivate?
• Yes or no
• Many sources list it as most important
• Others minimize importance
• One study in the U.S.A. indicated that
– White-collar workers listed money as 10th
– Blue-collar workers list as most important
• Importance varies by individual
– Necessary to maintain lifestyle
McClelland’s Needs
Need for Achievement –need for
excellence, competition, challenging
goals, persistence, and overcoming
difficulties
Need for Power – need to influence
others, change people or events, and
make a difference in life
Need for Affiliation - need
for warm, close, intimate
relationships with others
Applying Motivational Theory
• Job Design
– Job enlargement
– Job enrichment
– Job rotation or cross training
• Work Schedule
– Compressed work week
– Flextime
– Job sharing
– Telecommuting
Applying Motivational Theory, cont.
• Recognition, Empowerment, &
Economic Incentives
– Formal recognition
– Employee empowerment
– Monetary incentives
• Variable pay
Factors That Must Be Present In Order
For A Person To Be Motivated
• Fulfillment of one’s basic needs
• Healthy work environment
• Security in one’s employment
• Knowledge and ability to do the job
required
• Knowledge of the practiced employee
policies and procedures
Factors that contribute to Employee's
Motivation
• We are making a contribution
• Supervisor’s praise
• Respect of colleagues and peers
• Being informed of happenings
• Having meaningful & interesting work
How to improve your self-motivation
skills?
• Stop Procrastinating
• Eliminate all Negativity
• Take Responsibility
• Be Realistic
• Make Concrete Plans
• Give Yourself Rewards
Importance of Motivation in Army
It is important as an army leader that
you be able to motivate subordinates to
accomplish a physically challenging
task or perform a hazardous task that
is dangerous and life threatening.
MOTIVATION TECHNIQUES FOR ARMY
PERSONNEL
Serving as the ethical standard bearer
Developing cohesive teams
Rewarding and Punishing
Recognize and meet subordinate needs
Serve as and develop positive role
models
• HOW WOULD YOU SERVE AS AN ETHICAL STANDARD
BEARER?
– By being decent, honorable and honest
• WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE THE
LEADER DOES NOT SERVE AS A POSITIVE ROLE
MODEL?
– Will lack confidence, self discipline, and constantly avoid
doing the right thing.
• WHAT ARE SOME THINGS WHICH YOU CAN DO TO
DEVELOP A COHESIVE TEAM ?
– Train together; Develop a team; Give the team an
identity and Worth; Participate in sports and social
activities, etc.
• REWARDS
– Reward individual and team behavior that supports unit
tasks and missions
POSITIVE TOOLS OF MOTIVATION
Set the example
Establish clear goals and objectives
Obtain recommendations from every leader in
the chain on rewards, training, and awards
Use the established awards system to the
maximum
Create unit level certificates or awards for
individuals and/ or units
Reward the desired behavior of an individual or
group promptly
Present awards at a retreat, parade, or some
other appropriate unit ceremony
POSITIVE TOOLS OF MOTIVATION (CONT)
Give verbal praise liberally
Develop awards and ways of recognizing the
majority of your soldiers who consistently
meet or exceed the standard
Promote those who work hard, study hard,
achieve standards, and influence others to
achieve unit standards
NEGATIVE TOOLS OF MOTIVATION
Give warnings about inappropriate behavior
Use verbal and written reprimands when
appropriate
Ensure that every leader in the chain of
command is involved in the process of judicial or
non-judicial disciplinary action
Conduct reprimands, counseling, and corrective
action as privately and as quickly as possible
after an offense
Direct the punishment or counseling at the
behavior, not the subordinate
The subordinate must know the desired behavior
and be able to perform it acceptably
Motivation Process
1. Identification of Needs
• One way to identify needs is by listening carefully. Let the
people talk freely with you and in your presence
• Do not interrupt
• Pay attention to everything that is being said by everybody
• Ask them to explain further anything that you do not understand
• Try to remain objective and do not show displeasure
• Do not argue
• Report back any important statements they make and explain
that what you understand them to mean and allow them to
correct what you say
• Review in your own mind their feelings and important
statements and identify whether the needs are extrinsic or
intrinsic.
Motivation Process Contd.
2. Clearly define your mission and relate your plans and
programs with their needs as far as possible. In other
words, help them see your plans and programs as
contributing to achievement of their own goals and
needs.
3. Make sure to help acquire all resources - technical,
personnel, political, financial.
4, Encourage all the time while they are undertaking
the activities.
5. Provide timely and honest feedback on the
performance
Thank you for Listening
