How Can the Theories and Models in Leadership and Motivation Help a Manager to Do His or Her Job More Effectively?
How can the theories and models in leadership and motivation help a manager to do his or her job more effectively?
Two powerful tools a manager can use are displaying good leadership skills, and being able to motivate those around them. A highly motivated workforce is vital for an organisation seeking good results.
Leadership and management although being seen as synonymous do differ, not every manager is a leader and vice versa.
The emphasis of leadership is on interpersonal behaviour, and is often associated with the willing and enthusiastic behaviour of followers.
(Mullins, L. J. (2002), p. 254)
As a leader, you need to interact with your followers, peers, seniors and others, whose support you need in order to accomplish your objectives. To gain their support, you must be able to understand and motivate them.
"Like motivation, the search for the definitive solution to the leadership problem has proved to be another endless quest for the Holy Grail in organisation theory."
(Handy, C. B. (1993), p.97)
It is because of the complexity of motivation and leadership, and the fact there is no single answer to what will motivate people to work well, that the different theories are important to the manager.
The major needs based theories a manager must be aware of are:
Maslow's hierarchy of needs model
Aldefer's modified need hierarchy model
Herzberg's two-factor theory
McClelland's achievement motivation theory
Needs based theories of motivation are useful to managers because they provide a general answer to what needs motivate human behaviour.
(Hunsaker, P. L. (2005), p.446)
Maslow's hierarchy of needs model
Maslow proposed a five-level hierarchy of needs, from the lowest being physiological needs, through safety needs, love needs, and esteem needs, to the need for self-actualisation at the highest level.
Once the lower need has been satisfied it no longer acts as a motivator, the needs of the next level need to be satisfied. Therefore, according to Maslow,
Two powerful tools a manager can use are displaying good leadership skills, and being able to motivate those around them. A highly motivated workforce is vital for an organisation seeking good results.
Leadership and management although being seen as synonymous do differ, not every manager is a leader and vice versa.
The emphasis of leadership is on interpersonal behaviour, and is often associated with the willing and enthusiastic behaviour of followers.
(Mullins, L. J. (2002), p. 254)
As a leader, you need to interact with your followers, peers, seniors and others, whose support you need in order to accomplish your objectives. To gain their support, you must be able to understand and motivate them.
"Like motivation, the search for the definitive solution to the leadership problem has proved to be another endless quest for the Holy Grail in organisation theory."
(Handy, C. B. (1993), p.97)
It is because of the complexity of motivation and leadership, and the fact there is no single answer to what will motivate people to work well, that the different theories are important to the manager.
The major needs based theories a manager must be aware of are:
Maslow's hierarchy of needs model
Aldefer's modified need hierarchy model
Herzberg's two-factor theory
McClelland's achievement motivation theory
Needs based theories of motivation are useful to managers because they provide a general answer to what needs motivate human behaviour.
(Hunsaker, P. L. (2005), p.446)
Maslow's hierarchy of needs model
Maslow proposed a five-level hierarchy of needs, from the lowest being physiological needs, through safety needs, love needs, and esteem needs, to the need for self-actualisation at the highest level.
Once the lower need has been satisfied it no longer acts as a motivator, the needs of the next level need to be satisfied. Therefore, according to Maslow,
Bibliography: Alderfer, C. (1969). An Empirical Test of a New Theory of Human Needs. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, vol. 4. Bentham J. (1789), An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation Available at: French J. R. P. and Raven B., The Bases of Social Power, in Cartwright, D. and Zander, A. F. (1968), Group Dynamics: Research Theory, Third Edition, Harper and Row. Handy, C. B. (1993), Understanding Organizations, Fourth Edition, Penguin. Herzberg, F. (1966), Work and the Nature of Man. Cleveland: World Publishing Co. Hunsaker P. L. (2005), Management: A Skills Approach, Second Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall. Leadership and Human Behaviour. 2007. [online]. McClelland D. C. (1976) Business Drive and National Achievement, Harvard Business Review, 54 p100-110. Mullins L