Motivation Theory

HOW MIGHT IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF MOTIVATIONAL THEORY HELP SOMEONE BECOME A BETTER MANAGER?

The word motivation comes from the Latin word "movere", which means to move. Motivation is defined as an internal drive that activates behaviours and gives it direction. The term motivation theory is concerned with the processes that describe why and how human behaviour is activated and directed. It is regarded as one of the most important areas of study in the field of organizational behaviour. The act of directing and controlling a group of people for the purposes of coordinating and balancing the group towards accomplishing a goal beyond the scope of individual effort is known as management.

In an organisation, mangers are needed to direct the efforts of others by taking responsibilities and making critical decisions. Managers need to know basic knowledge and must have experience in the place or department they are working. They must be able to give instructions and also crucial facts related to professional information. Further more the skills and attribute of a manager are progressing understanding to events, diagnostic problem solving, social skills, and economic resilience. A manager has to be creative, must have a mental agility, balanced learning habits and self knowledge. Managers have different interpersonal roles which are figurehead, leader, and liaison. Figurehead managers have figurative head ceremonial duties meaning they represent their organisation in all matters of formality (Allen, G. 1998). Liaisons managers preserve network external of contacts while leaders are suppose to motivate and direct the employees. All these attributes are essential because they express dependability, something needed in maintaining a business in order to keep it booming.

Motivation influences work performance in an organization, however it is not the only factor that determines how well or badly employees work. There are varieties of other variables thought to play an important role in people performances which have been proven over the past years. These include ability, instinct, and aspiration level as well as personal factors such as age, education, and family surroundings (Matteson, T.M. and M.J Ivancevich, 2002, p.146). An In-depth knowledge of motivational theory is needed for someone to become a better manager. However, managers can not get the best out of their employers if they do not know the appropriate way to motivate them. Further more, unless employee knows what is supposed to be done and how to do it, high levels of job performance is not possible. Knowing in depth knowledge of motivation theory is not the only way to increase an employee’s contribution or workforce in the organisation. An employee being given the opportunity to perform is also a critical ingredient in the performance recipe.

The fundamental way of succeeding as a manager in business is to understand and get the best out of the people you are working with. People normally need motivation and reward to get inspired to do what they are suppose to get done, but you can not hire someone who is not best for the work assigned and expect to motivate them enough to get the work done. Skills, experience, and hard working are good characteristics of people managers can work with to be successful. Knowing how to motivate your employees will be one of the steps forward to success. The best way motivational knowledge can help someone become a better manager is to understand motivational theory as a form of three distinct components, which are direction, intensity, and persistence (Matteson, T.M. and M.J Ivancevich, 2002, p.147). Direction relates to what the people chooses to do when presented with a number of achievable alternatives while the intensity component of motivation refers to the strength of the answer. The last but not the least is persistence. �Persistence refers to staying power of behaviour or how long a person will continue to devote effort’ (Matteson, T.M. and M.J Ivancevich, 2002, p.147), which shows that despite any difficulties trying or making an effort is what really matters.

Each person is attracted to different type of goals. If a manager is to predict behaviour with any accuracy, they must familiarise them self with an employee’s goals and about the actions the employee will take to achieve them, further more, it will be useful to know how the manager can help them achieve their goals. Maslow’s need hierarchy states that the lowest level needs are the physiological needs, and the highest level needs are the self actualization needs. The physiological is the need for food, drinks, shelter, and relief from pain. Safety and security is the need for freedom from threats, which is the security from threatening events or surroundings. Workers need to feel they are important and their work is well appreciated. Maslow’s need hierarchy states that self actualization is the need to fulfil oneself by making maximum use of their abilities, skills and potential. Last but not the least it states that workers need self esteem and esteem from others. A manager can get the best out of their workers if they provide them with physiological need, praising them when they get a work done, and letting them know how well you are appreciated of them will lift their morals and make a better working and enjoyable environment.

Herzberg’s theories which was finished in the united states in 1960s shows that there are two types of factors influencing worker’s motivation which are hygiene factors and motivators. The hygiene factors are the state of affairs needed before successful motivation can take place. Although they do not contribute to the level of motivation, Herzberg’s research show these factors must be present within an organisation and they include issues such as company policy, administration, supervision, salary, working conditions and job security . The motivators only affect the level of motivation if the hygiene factors are present’ (Simmonds, 1995, P.81). These motivators