Motivation as a Tool of Management and Leadership

Understanding Motivation

Motivation can be understood as the internal or external forces that stimulate, direct, and maintain behavioural patterns in individuals, which can result towards achieving organizational goals.
Recognise that motivation is a process through which individuals strive to meet their personal and professional needs.

Distinguish between intrinsic motivation (where an employee is driven by personal satisfaction or enjoyment associated with completing a task) and extrinsic motivation (where motivation is derived from tangible benefits like salary, bonuses or promotions).
Note the importance of achievement (the satisfaction of accomplishing tasks), recognition (the acknowledgement of an individual’s efforts) and responsibility (feeling entrusted with important tasks) as key factors driving employee motivation.

Understand Taylor’s Scientific Management Theory, which suggests that money is the primary motivator for employees.
Appreciate Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory, which details a progression of human needs from basic physiological needs, to safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, and finally, self-actualisation.
Scrutinise the Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, which identifies ‘hygiene factors’ (factors that cause dissatisfaction, e.g., working conditions) and ‘motivators’ (factors that increase job satisfaction, e.g., recognition).
Evaluate the McClelland’s Acquired Needs Theory, which focuses on three needs, namely the need for achievement, the need for power, and the need for affiliation.

Comprehend that motivation plays a vital role in maintaining a high level of productivity and employee engagement.
Recognise that leaders should understand their team members’ needs and motivations to effectively manage them.
Appreciate that a highly motivated workforce can lead to decreased staff turnover, heightened morale, and a more positive organisational culture.

Explore how performance-related pay, bonus schemes and fringe benefits can fulfil a worker’s physiological and safety needs, and explicitly motivate them.
Analyse how job enrichment, job enlargement, and job rotation satisfy an individual’s need for growth and achievement.
Understand how participative management styles and giving workers greater autonomy in decisions can improve motivation levels by fulfilling social and esteem needs.
Grasp the value of training and professional development for improving self-actualisation and employee motivation.