Job Framework
As a manager, one has to strategically perform their responsibilities through five basic functions of planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling. Managers have to plan on how they can achieve their short-term and long-term goals. Employing more sales staff and conducting training is a common plan for increasing sales. Increasing inventory and advertising must be part of the plan to accomplish sales goals. Once a plan has been strategized, the manager must organize the team and materials required to deliver the plan. Work has to be assigned, and authority is granted to individuals such as supervisors to discern needs arising. Managers have to liaise with the human resource department before staffing and training new employees. Communicating, guiding, and encouraging employees are key leading elements to a manager. Results have to be checked continuously against the goals to guarantee control over the plan. Motivation theories contribute significantly to a manager’s success.
Motivational Theories
Managing a group of people is often difficult because of the difference in personalities. Managers are tasked with motivating their team members by identifying the element in their lives, contributing to their hard work. David McClelland came up with the theory of human motivation, which helps identify people’s motivating drivers. Managers can depend on this motivation theory to comprehend how to give praise, feedback, assign tasks, and motivate the team effectively. For example, a sales department team member has written a thorough report on historical data and the possible forecast sales. The manager is impressed and praises the staff’s efforts in a meeting. The staff is congratulated and applauded, but she looks embarrassed and lowers her head when asked to stand in the staff meeting. According to McClelland’s theory of human development, the staff’s main motivation driver is affiliation. Motivating her in private would have been more appreciated and effective because she never wants to stand out in a crowd. McClelland’s human motivation theory caters to acquired needs, motivational needs, and learned needs. Every employee often needs achievement, affiliation, and power. These needs are often learned and differ from one person to another, regardless of gender, culture, or age. However, life experiences and cultural development often help realize the dominant motivator in an individual.
Individuals with achievement as their main motivation have a strong need to accomplish challenging goals. They often take on calculated risks and prefer regular feedback on their progress and achievements. Such individuals often like working alone.
Individuals with affiliation as their main motivation often want to belong to a group. They want to feel liked and will readily follow what the rest of the group wants to do. They often favor collaboration over competition and are unlikely to take high risks in achieving any goals.
Individuals with power as their main motivation always want to be in control and winning at all times. They enjoy competing and winning because of the glory they get from recognition. Personal power enables such individuals to control others while institutional power enables such individuals to control teams in achieving institutional goals.
As a manager, McClelland’s human motivation theory has effectively identified the motivation drivers for my team members and used this information to influence my team towards positive outcomes. Motivational drivers enable the team to set goals and provide feedback because each individual is motivated towards achieving the same goal. The information provides critical in leading, praising, and motivating teams.