Harvard Business Review Article Asinine Attitudes towards motivation

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

Motivation by Hoshedar Batliwalla 2

http://columbiauniversity.us/itc/hs/pubhealth/isett/Session 09/Levinson 1973 MOTIVATION.pdf

For many managers, motivation

and manipulation mean one and

the same thing;

but employees know the difference


What is the dominant philosophy of

motivation in management?

Carrot & Stick Philosophy : The Reward & Punishment Model


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.


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


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.


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)


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.



Thank You!
