Motivation Theory
Organizations include many different types of people and personalities that in turn create a need for different types of motivational strategies. In organizations we can have three types of setting that we work in: sales, production, and educational. Every individual is molded and shaped by the experiences that life has presented to that individual, and these experiences can impact the manner and attitude by which they perceive motivation. To a degree, motivation is very personal and what may initiate the motivational drive in some people may not do so for others. Motivation processes set the tone of the organizational goals, which is why organizations should develop comprehensive and diverse motivational strategies. The theory that I propose combines Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene theory and the Maslow-based Existence, Relatedness, and Growth (ERG) theory of motivation. I will call this theory the Motivational Balance Theory. The ultimate goal of this thorough motivational theory is for the individual to find balance in their world. This balance comes in many forms and applies differently to different people. The environments that will be used for examples are a small business office setting and corporate owned restaurant.
The first organization that will be examined in relation to the Motivational Balance Theory is a small business office setting. The particular example of a small business will be a speech clinic. The clinic has two therapists, one of which is part-time speech therapist and the other who is also the director/owner and an office manager whom wears many hats in the company.
The motivation for each of these divergent positions includes finding balance by developing interpersonal awareness. The therapist's awareness comes from intrinsic rewards, knowing that she is delivering a quality of service that improves the lives of her clients. At the same time, the speech therapist is also motivated...
These extrinsic rewards include feeling like a valuable member of an organization.
The example of the speech therapy small business illustrates the advantages of small businesses in providing the means by which employees feel empowered. Large businesses can learn a lot from small businesses in this regard, by forming small teams that actively seek employee input and feedback. By valuing employee input, individuals feel empowered.
For example, the employee who feels empowered is motivated by wanting to do a good job with their clients for the sake of helping but also for the sake of return business. This motivation to help clients so that they will return or make referrals leads the employee to become aware of the clients needs. The therapist's motivation is exemplified by a balance between the client's success and their own personal success. After all, the therapist wants to feel valued, honored, and respected. When the owner of the company receives positive feedback or return business, the employee feels valued and therefore performs to the best of his or her ability.
The therapist in this example is intrinsically rewarded because they are motivated by their view of the world, not by how the world views them. Whatever personal gain is acquired is not quantified in a dollar value but in that unspoken human value. The therapist remains fully aware of the clients' success. In fact, the definition of therapy entails caring and concern for others. A therapist can also be extrinsically rewarded in the sense that they are monetary compensated. Money is simply a symbol of respect and valuation. The therapist must want to do a good job for the clients to achieve therapeutic goals, and in return the therapist is paid for their services. The combination of these two modes of satisfaction is crucial. First, the therapist knows he or she is putting skills to use by helping…
