The Academy: Motivation

The Academy series is our take on some of the key ideas that arise when trying to bridge the gaps between business and education.

One of the primary goals of any manager or leader is to determine how best to motivate a team to perform at a high level.  Whether it's towards professional and personal growth, or to achieve difficult business goals, the ability to effectively motivate a team sets apart great managers and leaders.

Motivation is a psychological process that directs goal-based behavior.  As a topic for study, three main forms of motivation have been identified: 

  • Needs Based: the belief that unsatisfied needs drive behavior
  • Reinforcement: the belief that behavior is affected through consequences, both positive and negative
  • Cognition: the belief that behavior is the result of rational choices made among alternative actions

Needs Based
Probably the most recognized model of motivation is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.  As a hierarchical model, Maslow argues that fulfillment of a lower-level need is necessary before an attempt will be made to fulfill the next need in the hierarchy.  His five needs, progressively:

  • Physiological: survival
  • Safety: from physical and physiological harm
  • Love: affection and belonging
  • Esteem: reputation, prestige, and self confidence
  • Self-Actualization: becoming the best person possible

Another well-known needs-based model is McClelland's Needs Theory.  In it, he posits that every individual shows a preference for one of three primary needs and will align their behavior towards meeting the need:

  • Achievement (nACH): to accomplish something difficult on own merits, not due to external factors
  • Affiliation (nAFF): to form and maintain positive, lasting interpersonal relationships
  • Power (nPWR): to influence, teach, coach, influence others to succeed

A final needs-based model comes from Herzberg: the Motivator-Hygiene model.  In it, he argues that there are two spectra along which one is motivated:

  • Motivators: those factors that move the needle from “no satisfaction” to “satisfaction”
    • Achievement, Recognition, Responsibility, Advancement
  • Hygiene Factors: those factors that move the needle from “no dissatisfaction” to “dissatisfaction”
    • Salary, Policies, Manager Relationships, Working Conditions

In his book How Will You Measure Your Life Harvard Business Professor Clayton Christensen makes an elegant transition of this model from the academic setting to the personal one.  Find it on our Resources page.

Reinforcement
The most straightforward version of motivation through reinforcement comes from Skinner.  He argues that behavior is the result of consequences (extrinsic) rather than through thoughts or needs (intrinsic).

  • Positive: people are rewarded for desired behavior
  • Negative: desired performance is rewarded by removing that which is undesirable
  • Punishment: poor performance is punished (opposite of Positive)

A more modern approach to reinforcement comes from Kouzes and Posner.  They posit that contributions should be recognized and rewarded in a personal manner.  They argue that a manager should:

  1. Set clear standards
  2. Expect the best
  3. Pay attention
  4. Personalize recognition

Cognition
Cognition theories of motivation move the conversation from extrinsic forms of motivation to more intrinsic forms.  Vroom's Expectancy Theory of motivation is a logical model that argues that people are motivated to behave in ways that produce valued outcomes.  His logically progressive model:

  • Expectancy – the logical belief that effort put forth will directly impact performance
  • Instrumentality – the logical belief that certain performance will result in certain outcomes
  • Valence – the belief that the outcome is valued

 

Application

Modern applications of motivation have moved definitively into the realm of intrinsic approaches.  While extrinsic approaches have their place, it's often easier for a manager to elicit high performance from a team that wants to perform well.  

As a manager, ask yourself: how well do I know my team?  Are they motivated to achieve or are relationships more important to them?  Do I understand what employees need to feel satisfied?  Do I personalize my recognition for my team?

In the end, there's no magic formula that motivates every team to high performance.  The link between motivation and performance is incredibly personal for each team member.  As a manager and leader, it's your responsibility to find the mix that works best for each member of your team.  But first, you have to get to know them.

 

Sources and Resources

Thought Leaders

Sources

  • Kreitner, R., & Kinicki, A. (1998). Organizational behavior. Boston, MA: Irwin/McGraw-Hill.
  • Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370-396. 
  • McClelland, D. C. (1976). The achievement motive. New York: Irvington.
  • Herzberg, F.I. (1987), One more time: How do you motivate employees?, Harvard Business Review, Sep/Oct87, Vol. 65 Issue 5, p109-120.
  • Vroom, V.H. (1964), Work and motivation.  Oxford, England: Wiley.
  • Christensen, C. M., Allworth, J., & Dillon, K. (2012). How will you measure your life? New York, NY: Harper Business.
  • Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (1987). The leadership challenge: How to get extraordinary things done in organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.