harvard business review article asinine attitudes towards motivation
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HBR Article:
ASININE ATTITUDES
TOWARDS MOTIVATIONPresented by Hoshedar Batliwalla
CMBA2 – 1314
15 October 2013
This article is written by Harry Levinson
and can be viewed on the link below:http://columbiauniversity.us/itc/hs/pubhealth/isett/Session%2009/Levin
son%201973%20MOTIVATION.pdf
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For many managers, motivation
and manipulation mean one and
the same thing;
but employees know the difference
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What is the dominant philosophy of
motivation in management?
Carrot & Stick Philosophy : The Reward & Punishment Model
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Close your eyes and imagine the central
image of the carrot & stick philosophy
When the first image that comes to mind when one thinks ‘carrot-and-stick’ is a jackass, obviously
the unconscious assumption behind the reward-punishment model is that one is dealing with
jackasses, that people are jackasses to be manipulated and controlled. Thus, unconsciously, the
boss is the manipulator and controller, and the subordinate is the jackass.
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Stubbornness Willfulness Stupidity Unwillingness
Characteristics of a jackass
These, by interesting coincidence, are also the characteristics of the unmotivated employee. Thus
it becomes vividly clear that the underlying assumption management makes about motivation
leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Consequences:
Increased inefficiency, heightened absenteeism & withdrawal – The complete disconnect
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What inspires you…
=
?????Motivation by Hoshedar Batliwalla 7
Activity: Think of a concrete time when you were operating at peak productivity - a moment
when you were really on top of your game, when you were using much of your
potential and when you were inspired and operating a very high level.
Name to yourself the project you were working on, or the task, the specific
circumstances. Maybe it was leading a project team that really delivered, coaching
your brother/sister in his/her favourite sport/subject, or solving a tough accounts
problem at class or an instance you experienced at your previous organization.
Now look inside yourself, when you were operating at that peak level, what role
did money play in inspiring that great performance?
You wouldn’t be alone in saying that money was in no way a significant part of your
motivation leading to such peak moments.
A clear negation is that money is what inspires great results.
Our typical rules for effective employee motivation are to keep using money-
carrots as our main motivation tool, and then get disappointed when great results
don’t follow.
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Doesn’t this jackass approach to motivation fit the definition of insanity that
often gets shared?
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and next time expecting a
different result.
If we want more great performances from people, doesn’t it make sense to
create environments that mirror the conditions that led you to your
peak results, and will cater to various employee motivation types and overall
motivation in the workplace?
My learning:
You cannot motivate people by using money as a tool. You’ve got to
provide the work environment that’s going to make them want to do a
better job. You just can’t make them do a better job by paying them more
money. Instead, offer them heart i.e. JAW (joy at work)
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What employee motivators inspire you?
The chance to make a real difference to customers, co-workers, etc.
The pure joy of the accomplishment
The chance to grow as a person
Failure was not an option because the stakes were very high
The chance to do something that I would be remembered for
To pursue something that was so worthwhile
All of these top employee motivators point to a work environment that is so
productive that every employee feels inspired by what they are accomplishing.
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Thank You!
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