Verified Document

Motivation Is Critical To Success Essay

Every person who had performed well and met the deadlines was offered a cash bonus at the end of six-month period when performance appraisals were done. However I realized that Sarah was not motivated by this cash reward. She had one child who went to kindergarten and her husband earned well. This meant she needed something other than money to motivate her. This was indeed a challenge since I had no idea how to discover her needs which could enhance her performance and inspire her to meet deadlines. The first stage was to determine if the job actually suited her aptitude. I spoke to her personally and asked her if she really liked her job. But this was done in a candid manner so she wouldn't know what the real issue was. Sarah talked eagerly about her work and her ideas about the next month's magazine. Studying her resume, I realized she had worked in similar positions in the past and had a brilliant portfolio. There was no doubt in mind that she loved her job and had the aptitude for it.

The next stage was performance. I reviewed her performance appraisals over the last two years and realized she had always been positively appraised. There had been an issue of deadline for some time but otherwise her work had been par excellence. I could see that the effort she was putting in was producing the kind of performance the company expected of her.

The third stage was the outcome part. This is where I had serious doubts. I knew there was some reason she had been missing deadlines regularly even though she was fully capable of producing highest quality work in shortest period of time. What was holding her back was completely beyond me but I could...

This is when I designed a simple questionnaire which could be passed around. This questionnaire asked questions about our reward program and what could be added as alternatives. Even people who had been happy with monetary rewards came up with some good suggestions like paid vacations, awards and recognition, bigger titles etc. Sarah's response revealed what had been bothering her. She did not choose any other reward except additional time off and flexible schedule. She explained in great detail that people who could work from home should be allowed to do so as long as they finished their job on time so they could spend more time with their young kids. She also stated that instead of a work shift of 9 to 5 each time, it could be shortened to 9 t 1 so mothers with young kids could be there for their children when they got back from school.
This was a very interesting and enlightening survey. I spoke to Sarah and we discussed her various options. I told her that as long as she promised to meet her deadlines, I could allow her to work from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays and she could leave around 1 p.m. provided she guaranteed timely delivery of the work assigned to her. Needless to say, Sarah was thrilled. This is the last time we ever had a problem with her deadline issue. The new reward program motivated her so much that she was putting in extra effort to get everything done on job. The company had no problem with her new schedule and I was finally convinced that a happy employee is a company's best resource.

Reference

Ken Smith, Great minds in Management. Oxford University Press, 2005

Sources used in this document:
This was a very interesting and enlightening survey. I spoke to Sarah and we discussed her various options. I told her that as long as she promised to meet her deadlines, I could allow her to work from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays and she could leave around 1 p.m. provided she guaranteed timely delivery of the work assigned to her. Needless to say, Sarah was thrilled. This is the last time we ever had a problem with her deadline issue. The new reward program motivated her so much that she was putting in extra effort to get everything done on job. The company had no problem with her new schedule and I was finally convinced that a happy employee is a company's best resource.

Reference

Ken Smith, Great minds in Management. Oxford University Press, 2005
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Critical Success Factors in Project Management
Words: 697 Length: 2 Document Type:

Business and Project Management The activities relating to the closing phase of a project have a profound impact and long-term effect on the organization and its people. The success of future projects will certainly rely on not only the success of the current project but also on how successful the project was treated by James Hospital and its stakeholders. Project members must have the right attitude to engage in successful projects.

Success Factors of Supply Chain Management SCM
Words: 6354 Length: 20 Document Type: Term Paper

Supply Chain Management (scm) supply chain refers to the network that links the internal and external suppliers with internal and external customers. Supply chain management (SCM) concerns with the management of such networks enabling interchange of materials and information through the network. The primary goal of supply chain management is to link the market, distribution channel, operations process and supplier base effectively at lower costs. (Hill, p.54) It is common

Critical Thinking Self-Analysis
Words: 1043 Length: 3 Document Type: Research Paper

Critical Thinking Self-Analysis I always assumed that psychology was a bunch of mumbo jumbo related to Freud and sexuality. I always thought that I was a decent learner, prior to taking this course. I now see that I have the potential to be an excellent learner if I simply make the effort. Cognitively, I thought that this assignment and the article it is based on would be dull due to the

Motivation for Many Years Motivational
Words: 1332 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

The vertical differentiations are associated with the components of abstraction that permit individuals to determine both their intentions and their behaviors. The horizontal differentiation is associated with different intentions including the completion of the project. Tubbs and Eckeberg (1991) assert that understanding the intentional model has implications associated with understanding the effects of goal setting. The authors argue that the intentional behavior model explains the cognitive effects of goals which

Critical Thinking From a Philosophic Application It
Words: 2432 Length: 8 Document Type: Term Paper

Critical Thinking From a Philosophic Application It is often said that critical thinking is a way we humans think but not specifically what we humans are thinking about. Philosophers and Psychologists all seem to concur on the fact that we take the critical thinking process and utilize it as an ongoing progression that may stem from a simple observation or some unanswered question. In other words, the process of critical thinking

Motivation: Intrinsic Vs Extrinsic Motivation Plays a
Words: 1406 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

Motivation: Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Motivation plays a critical role in the success of an organization. Employees who are motivated to achieve organizational goals and targets leave a positive impression on the overall performance of that organization. While there are many theories and strategies concerning motivation, the one that is most critical is the debate regarding intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. Motivational theories like Maslow's theory or Vroom's expectancy theory fail to completely

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now