EARLY THEORIES OF MOTIVATION Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory

Level 1: Physiology, Body Physiological needs are biological needs and include the needs for oxygen, food, water, shelter, etc. They are the basis for the hierarchy and are the strongest needs because if a person were deprived of all needs, the physiological ones come first in the person's search for satisfaction. Level 2: Security According to Maslow, the need for security becomes evident only after a person's physiological needs are met. While most adults are not acutely aware of security needs until a crisis arises, it is important to understand this need and for managers to provide a safe workplace. Level 3: Belonging, Social Once the needs for safety are met, the need for a sense of belonging, one in which a give-andtake relationship is nurtured, becomes evident. Maslow states that people seek to overcome feelings of loneliness and alienation and managers must understand this to ensure employee involvement, production and motivation, etc. Level 4: Self-Esteem Once the first three classes of needs are met, the need for self-esteem can become dominant. Because this includes the esteem a person gets from others, managers who understand this

can use this tool to help ensure employees and team members feel valued and respected, driving up self-esteem. This will positively impact the employee and the employee's motivation levels, productivity, ability to work on a team and alone, etc. On the other hand, if these needs are not met, an employee may become frustrated, feel inferior and worthless and he or she may withdraw. Level 5: Self-Actualization The need for self-actualization develops only after all of the foregoing needs are satisfied. According to Maslow, self-actualization is a person's need to do that which he or she feels they are meant to do. As a manager, it is important to help employees or team members find this, otherwise the employee will become dissatisfied, restless, unproductive and may even look for satisfaction elsewhere.

Using the Theory: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is not so much a technique or process to use as an idea to have in mind when you're thinking about how you meet a team member's needs (for example, during a quarterly review). Managers often instinctively want to use salary raises as a way of motivating team members. However the reality is usually that they have a fixed "pot" of raises to offer to their team members, and this often does not allow the rewards they want to give. Maslow's theory is important for two reasons: Firstly it points out that people's needs are not just met by hard cash (which arguably addresses levels 1 and 2). People have many needs which have to be met, and while people may be very well paid, they can still be unsatisfied if these needs aren't met. Secondly, it gives managers a whole range of tools that they can use to build team satisfaction, even if they don't have much money to give out. It usually doesn't cost much to provide a safe working environment. It's often inexpensive to have team socials (for example, around a barbecue) where team members can get to know one-another outside the work environment. And it costs nothing to compliment people on a job well done. As such, Maslow's Hierarchy gives hard-pressed managers "permission" to be "good bosses", knowing that as such, they're doing their best to build highly effective, highly productive teams.

McGregors Theory X and Theory Y Douglas McGregor (1906 - 1964) is one of the forefathers of management theory and one of the top business thinkers of all time. He was a social psychologist who became the President of Antioch College. He later became a professor of management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (he was succeeded by Warren Bennis). His book The Human Side of Enterprise (1960) had a profound influence on the management field, largely due to his Theory X and Theory Y. McGregor developed a philosophical view of humankind with his Theory X and Theory Y in 1960. His work is based upon Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, in that he grouped the hierarchy into lower-order needs (Theory X) and higher-order needs (Theory Y). He suggested that management could use either set of needs to motivate employees, but better results would be gained by the use of Theory Y, rather than Theory X. These two opposing perceptions theorized how people view human behavior at work and organizational life: Theory X With Theory X assumptions, management's role is to coerce and control employees.
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People have an inherent dislike for work and will avoid it whenever possible. People must be coerced, controlled, directed, or threatened with punishment in order to get them to achieve the organizational objectives. People prefer to be directed, do not want responsibility, and have little or no ambition. People seek security above all else.

Theory Y With Theory Y assumptions, management's role is to develop the potential in employees and help them to release that potential towards common goals.
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Work is as natural as play and rest. People will exercise self-direction if they are committed to the objectives (they are NOT lazy). Commitment to objectives is a function of the rewards associated with their achievement. People learn to accept and seek responsibility. Creativity, ingenuity, and imagination are widely distributed among the population. People are capable of using these abilities to solve an organizational problem. People have potential.

Herzberg's Motivators and Hygiene Factors Herzberg's findings revealed that certain characteristics of a job are consistently related to job satisfaction, while different factors are associated with job dissatisfaction. These are: Factors for Satisfaction Factors for Dissatisfaction Achievement Recognition The work itself Responsibility Advancement Growth Company Policies Supervision Relationship with Supervisor and Peers Work conditions Salary Status Security

According to Frederick Herzberg, these two sets of factors are quite independent of each other. It may be noted that hygiene factors, when satisfied, tend to eliminate dissatisfaction but do not motivate an individual employee for better performance. The motivating factors will permit an individual to grow and develop in a natural way. In brief, hygiene factors affect an individual's willingness to work while motivating factors affect his ability and efficiency to work. This theory can be compared to Maslow's theory of human needs as both the theories refer to needs and their role in motivation. In addition, the assumptions in both the theories are identical. Frederick Herzberg's theory has many limitations. They are related to research methodology used, empirical validity and assumptions in the theory. His theory is criticized on many grounds. Many have found the theory to be an oversimplification. Despite such criticism, Herzberg's two factor theory has made a significant contribution towards improving manager's basic understanding of human behaviour. His theory is simple to grasp, based on some empirical data and guides managers to improve employee motivation. Herzberg provided stimulus to other researchers to develop alternative theories of motivation.

Compare Maslow and Herzberg Theory Distinction between Maslow and Herzberg's Theory of Motivation.

Three-Needs Theory Understanding McClelland's Theory In the early 1940s, Abraham Maslow created his theory of needs. This identified the basic needs that human beings have, in order of their importance physiological needs; safety needs; and the needs for belonging, self-esteem and "self-actualization". Then, in the early 1960s, David McClelland built on this work by identifying three motivators that we all have. According to McClelland, these motivators are learned (which is why this theory is sometimes called the Learned Needs Theory). McClelland says that, regardless of our gender, culture, or age, we all have three motivating drivers, and one of these will be our dominant motivating driver. This dominant motivator is largely dependent on our culture and life experiences. The three motivators are achievement, affiliation, and power. People will have different characteristics depending on their dominant motivator. These characteristics are as follows: Dominant Characteristics of This Person Motivator Achievement

Has a strong need to set and accomplish challenging goals. Takes calculated risks to accomplish their goals. Likes to receive regular feedback on their progress and achievements. Often likes to work alone. Wants to belong to the group. Wants to be liked, and will often go along with whatever the rest of the

Affiliation

group wants to do. Favors collaboration over competition. Doesn't like high risk or uncertainty. Wants to control and influence others. Likes to win arguments. Enjoys competition and winning. Enjoys status and recognition.

Power

Note: Those with a strong power motivator are often divided into two groups: personal and institutional. People with a personal power drive want to control others, while people with an institutional power drive like to organize the efforts of a team to further the company's goals. As you can probably imagine, those with an institutional power need are usually more desirable as team members! Using the Theory McClelland's theory can help you to identify the dominant motivators of people on your team. You can then use this information to influence how you set goals andprovide feedback, and how you motivate and reward team members. You can also use these motivators to craft, or design, the job around your team members, ensuring a better fit. Let's look at the steps for using McClelland's theory: Step 1: Identify Drivers Examine your team to determine which of the three motivators is dominant for each person. You can probably identify drivers based on personality and past actions. For instance, perhaps one of your team members always takes charge of the group when you assign a project. He speaks up in meetings to persuade people, and he delegates responsibilities to others to meet the goals of the group. He likes to be in control of the final deliverables. This team member is likely primarily driven by the power. You might have another team member who never speaks during meetings. She always agrees with the group, works hard to manage conflict when it occurs, and visibly becomes uncomfortable when you talk about doing high-risk, high-reward projects. This person is likely to have a strong need for affiliation. Step 2: Structure Your Approach Based on the driving motivators of your workers, structure your leadership style and project assignments around each individual team member. This will help ensure that they all stay engaged, motivated, and happy with the work they're doing. Examples of Using the Theory Let's take a closer look at how to manage team members who are driven by each of McClelland's three motivators:

Achievement People motivated by achievement need challenging, but not impossible, projects. They thrive on overcoming difficult problems or situations, so make sure you keep them engaged this way. People motivated by achievement work very effectively either alone or with other high achievers. When providing feedback, give achievers a fair and balanced appraisal. They want to know what they're doing right and wrong so that they can improve. Affiliation People motivated by affiliation work best in a group environment, so try to integrate them with a team (versus working alone) whenever possible. They also don't like uncertainty and risk. Therefore, when assigning projects or tasks, save the risky ones for other people. When providing feedback to these people, be personal. It's still important to give balanced feedback, but if you start your appraisal by emphasizing their good working relationship and your trust in them, they'll likely be more open to what you say. Remember that these people often don't want to stand out, so it might be best to praise them in private rather than in front of others. Power Those with a high need for power work best when they're in charge. Because they enjoy competition, they do well with goal-oriented projects or tasks. They may also be very effective in negotiations or in situations in which another party must be convinced of an idea or goal. When providing feedback, be direct with these team members. And keep them motivated by helping them further their career goals. Comparative Theories McClelland's theory of needs is not the only theory about worker motivation. Sirota's ThreeFactor Theory also presents three motivating factors that workers need to stay motivated and excited about what they're doing: equity/fairness, achievement, and camaraderie. Sirota's theory states that we all start a new job with lots of enthusiasm and motivation to do well. But over time, due to bad company policies and poor work conditions, many of us lose our motivation and excitement. This is different from McClelland's theory, which states that we all have one dominant motivator that moves us forward, and this motivator is based on our culture and life experiences. Use your best judgment when motivating and engaging your team. Understanding a variety of motivational theories will help you decide which approach is best in any given situation.