MOTIVATION, OFTEN TALKED ABOUT… LITTLE UNDERSTOOD!

A DEFINITION

“The emotional forces, wants, needs, urges or drive within us that influence our behaviour” or… ‘a willingness to exert varying levels of effort based on our perception that the level of effort will satisfy some individual craving’.

NEED WANTS URGES DEFINED (HOW IT ALL WORKS)

Needs, wants, urges (cravings), are feelings that make particular outcomes appear attractive. When a craving is not satisfied tension is created within, which in turn stimulates an urge or drive causing us to seek a solution to satisfy the craving and thus reduce our tension. This is similar to the craving a smoker experiences, particularly when trying to quit. Have you ever been enticed by the aroma of a chicken roasting, or meat sizzling on a BBQ, only to have your spouse say something like, ‘lets eat fish fingers and salad for dinner’? You might yield to the request but your tension level will have increased due to the unsatisfied craving for the chicken or BBQ’d meat.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR LEADERS

Successful leaders understand that their followers are influenced by various states of tension and they are able to utilise the fact that when tension is increased the followers will exert higher levels of effort as they attempt to reduce their tension levels. Obviously in a work situation managers (as leaders) ideally need to ensure that the individuals’ cravings (needs & wants)… and efforts, are in harmony with organisational goals.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT

Different perceptions of what motivates ‘subordinates’, according to the manager/leader versus those that are being managed/following have been proven in survey after survey over the decades. Still mangers seem to miss the point that time and a ‘subordinates’ personal and work situation is central to everything. Example: Young single employees in an expanding job market may respond to a stimulus of interesting work and public recognition today become engaged to the guy or girl next door and tomorrow their looking for a pay increase and a career path. Then they are pregnant… job security and a salary increase may for many then become a “craving”

AND THE THERE WAS MASLOW (I think)!

www.orglearn.org has a free interactive resume form