In this section I’ll try to apply motivation models on myself, in the current situation. In order to avoid generalization(may not be possible) I’ll try to add some first hand experience from my department.
Why?
I consider motivation as a main issue in managing people at work. This is essential to keep the organization running. Otherwise people spend time with browsing internet, consuming more water or fizzy drinks, gossipping or even worse talk on the phone. To sum up:
we (unmotivated employees) just fart around. - Avitabile
According to Wikibaby1:
- Motivated employees always look for better ways to do a job.
- Motivated employees are more quality oriented.
- Motivated workers are more productive.
Now, you can see why I chose this as the first issue from mgmt theory to describe in practice. I’ll use different theories to analyze myself and co-workers.
My case study:
Intern in an international organization. Willing to work during the summer to promote international carreer. Nearly 3 mos internship programme. Minimal compensation according to the current market trends. Job offer accepted on content basis.
Applied method:
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs
I wouldn’t write down all the theory itself you can find the summary with the help of the indicated link.
1. Physiological needs – 100%
Being lucky enough to depart from a safe and lucky background I do not have to work for buying food, finance my studies or things like many people.
2. Safety needs – 100%
The environment around me is quite ok, no health, war or other problems endanger my personal safety.
3. Social needs – 90%
I could have friends around all summer, not to mention girlfriend and family. No real thirst for meeting new people and establishing new social network.
4. Esteem needs – 50%
Here comes Mr. Self-Esteem, yes this is where I can start to look for motivation issues concerning my work. In my age people who conscious about future career and have any specific professional goals in life have to start doing sth for it. It’s not just for CV reasons, but for practical knowledge. As a matter of fact I was looking for sth fency in my CV combined with special practical experience. After nearly 3 weeks at my job I don’t really see any practical skill learned. Maybe will realize it later but for now nothing new. Or nothing like the things I expected. Yes, the position can be still presented as sth extraordinary. But this is not enough at the moment to deliver my best performance at work.
5. Self-actualization needs – 10%
In short, self-actualization is reaching one's fullest potential. Very few
people reach this level, two percent to be exact. – says Maslow
I’d like to be part of that 2%. In order to feel this I should enjoy solving problems on my own, according to my way of doing things, being innovative and applying my personal experience and work culture. At first, I don’t know if I have any work culture at the moment, if I have any personal experience for doing things on a really self-actualizing way. I’d like to think yes. If no there’s nothing to talk about. If yes, on my level I should be doing like that. For this I miss the driver of my performance. I think this driver should come from the importance of the job I do. This would result a higher self-esteem, according to the Maslow typology. This hasn’t happened. In my case the theory might be working. Level 4 is only partially fulfilled -> no hope to self-actualized myself.
Next time will try to understand what’s going on in my mind from a different perspective. I would have never thought I would write about phychology.
1generated from HBS nickname, Harvardbaby!, see you soon guys in the MBA class!
