Motivation Concepts Analysis

Motivation Concepts Analysis

Nearly all the conscious behavior of human-being is motivated. Human-beings needs and drives lead to tensions, which in turn result into actions. Motivation is a powerful tool, in which to persuade and propel individuals into action. The art of motivation is harnessing how to influence an individual in a positive manner to accomplish the common objectives.

Describe how the motivation theory applies to a workplace situation.

According to Reeve's (2001), "motivation is the study of the processes that provide behavior with energy and direction." Multiple types of intrinsic motivators for employees are: meaning, learning, interest, purpose, and creative flow. The self-generated intrinsic motivation can provide a more effective individual if the general interest are something that is appealing to the employee. A manager implementing intrinsic motivation benefits from exercising engagement of the employee in a task and informatively points to the benefits and impact the undertaking will have on the employee. My past employer was an expert at managing the staff to maximum potential by offering bonuses for developing new skills and taking on challenges outside the normal job requirements. The success of the challenge required the employees to move out of their comfort zones and accept new tasks, without a full knowledge of exactly what the new task would require. These challenges focused on the promoting change in the employee who was possibly stagnant in his or her position while altering the presumed notion that his or her position was mastered. Initially the sedentary employees were reluctant to the challenge; eventually they embraced not only the challenge, but also the intrinsic motivation (bonus) for taking on the challenge. Consequently, the effort became a successful tool used by management to broaden the scope of knowledge and present new challenges for established employees.

Another situation involved my manager volunteering me to participate in the design and set-up of the yearly employee banquet. The banquet celebrates employee's tenure with the district by holding a banquet and offering a token for his or her years of service. I did not mind helping, but I was not consulted by my manager, just instructed to go help. There was never a question in his mind that I would refuse to participate. This conveyed a sense of no matter to me, not a specific meaning of teamwork with other departments. As a result, no motivation theory piques my interest in participating in the task; a task of volunteerism was made into a directive command. Therefore, my heart was not fully committed to the project.

Assess the need to develop and create new theoretical models of motivation.

Motivation is defined as processes that initiate and sustain goal-directed work activity and where necessary mental efforts is invested in the achievement of quality work goals (Clark, 1999). The anticipated goals are elevating a set skill level, improving an employee achievement level. This complies with ability and achievement toward motivation goals. On a positive note this may assist an unmotivated or underachieving employee. A cognitive motivational model for the workplace,