■ Bothintrinsic and extrinsic motivating factors, and it is impos-
sible to generalize on what the best mix of these is likely to
be.
■ Expectationsabout rewards, which will vary greatly among
individuals according to their previous experiences and
perceptions of the reward system.
■ The social context,where the influences of the organization
culture, managers and co-workers can produce a wide
variety of motivational forces which are difficult to predict
and therefore to manage.
The second key message provided by motivation theory is the
significance of expectations, goal-setting, feedback and reinforce-
ment as motivating factors.
The implications of these messages are considered below.
APPROACHES TO MOTIVATION
Creating the right climate
It is necessary, in general, to create a climate which will enable
high motivation to flourish. This is a matter of managing the
culture. The aims would be, first, to reinforce values concerning
performance and competence; second, to emphasize norms
(accepted ways of behaviour) relating to the ways in which
people are managed and rewarded; and third, to demonstrate
the organization’s belief in empowerment – providing people
with the scope and ‘space’ to exercise responsibility and use their
abilities to the full. Without the right climate, quick fixes
designed to improve motivation, such as performance-related
pay, are unlikely to have much of an impact on overall organiza-
tional effectiveness, although they may work with some individ-
uals.
Goal-setting, feedback and reinforcement
Goal-setting, feedback and reinforcement can all contribute to
high motivation and they are all within your control.
How to Motivate People 225