Category: Motivation

Personal Skill Analysis

A general overview of motivating others in management

Doing business, people should remember that motivating others is one of the most important traits. Motivation is an inner feeling, some people have it and others may lack it (Hagger & Chatzisarantis 2007, p.256). No matter whether one possesses this skill or not, he/she may train it. There are a number of different facilities one may use to learn to motivate others. It should be stated that motivation works behind the scenes to drive action, often in a way that is not obvious (Muzio, Fisher & Thomas 2008, p. 47).

Analyzing the problem, much information was considered and it may be concluded that motivating others skills may never be applied without the following skills a business person should possess, leadership, motivation skill in general, communicative skill, and pure listening skill. Being a manager, these skills are extremely important. It is rather difficult to give a definition to leadership, still, Northouse (2009) combines a number of different definitions and states the following: Leadership is a process when one person influences a group of people who are aimed at achieving a specific goal (Northouse 2009, p. 3).

Supporting this idea, Adair (2007) states that leadership also involves control, support, informing, and evaluation of the work done. The author considers leadership and motivation like a brother and a sister as it is almost impossible to imagine a leader who would not possess some motivating skills and vice versa. Turning to the problem of motor skills, it is impossible to refuse the information mentioned above.

Furthermore, a close relationship between leadership and motivation skills may be proved by means of the following idea which states that motivational skill encourages other people and make them want to work with you and for you (Tharp & Reiter 2003, p. 171). Communicative and pure listening skills are closely connected. When a person listens to somebody, he/she should be able to communicate in such a way that the speaker wants to talk.

Personal Evaluation in the Relation to the Mentioned Skills

When I evaluated the skills I possess in the relation to motivating others, I concluded that I definitely possess all the skills mentioned above. I know that I am a good listener, I do not have any problems with communication, I am a leader and I can motivate people. To prove the statements mentioned above, I would like to provide some arguments which may be helpful for me to state that I can influence others and motivate them. I am a leader as working in the company I can prove my opinion and provide the arguments which will make other people follow me.

Furthermore, I have a lot of friends that confirm that I possess good communicative skills. I can talk on different topics and I suppose that I communicate with people on the topics they want to talk about. Having a best friend, I can state that I am a good listener as in case he has some problems I can always listen to him without interruption. I suppose that it is really important to listen to the speaker and do not interrupt.

Still, to give a person a sign that I am listening, I usually ask questions if I do not understand something and I am interested in it. Moreover, I can state that I have a motivational skill. There have been a lot of situations when my friends did not want to do what I wanted, but I managed to select the words and motivate them in such a way that they did what I wanted. Hence, they understood that it was necessary, that it was important for them as well, not only for me.

Analysis of the Survey

To check whether my understanding of my personal skills corresponds to reality, I conducted research. I created a questionnaire that was aimed at people who knew me best of all. The questionnaire included the following questions for evaluating my skills:

1. How do you think, can I lead people? Is it easy for me to organize a group of people?
2. Can you say that I can make people do what I want? Is it possible for me to provide the arguments which can make others change their minds?
3. Do you agree that I am a good listener? Do you feel comfortable when you tell me something?
4. Do you think that I am a good companion? Is it easy to communicate with me on different topics?

I gave this questionnaire to a couple of my friends and colleagues and asked them to answer the questions. Almost all of the respondents confirmed the idea that I was a leader. They stated that people wanted to go after me as my motivating skills were at a high level.

Nevertheless, people who surround me stated that my listening and communicative skills were at a low level. My friends said that I could not listen to people. They said that I listened to them without interruption, which most people confirmed as a good feature. Still, I do not hear what I am said. In other words, I cannot properly understand what people say to me.

My colleagues pointed out that I was not a good communicator. It does not mean that I cannot talk to people, but they stated that I cannot get on the right side of others in communication. Furthermore, some of the respondents stated that sometimes I choose inappropriate topics for conversations and business communication may be spoiled.

Feedback to Personal Evaluation and Friends Analysis

Having considered the information in the previous two parts about my personal understanding of my personal skills and my friends evaluation, I can say that my personal evaluation was a little overrated. I agree that my friends analysis is more objective. People from the side usually see better the advantages and disadvantages of your personal skills. As it was mentioned above, I have got to know that my listening and communication skills are not as good as I supposed.

Having considered the answers of my friends in the questionnaire, I understood that much work should be done both to support the skills I have already obtained (leadership and motivation), and to train the skills I do not have (listening and communicative skills). It should be confirmed that the lack of any of the skills does not allow a person, me in this case, to motivate others.

The inability to communicate with people in a proper way and the inability to listen to them may be a great barrier on my way to becoming a good manager. Still, it is possible to change the situation and to train the skills which should be obtained if I want to be a good manager. In this case, a personal skill development plan should be considered.

Personal Skill Development

Importance of personal skill development

The necessity of personal skill development is huge indeed. To achieve appropriate results, succeed in the chosen activities, and demonstrate the best qualities of leaders, it is very important to consider personal skills and be ready to develop them in accordance with the requirements set by society in a certain period of time. In this paper, the evaluation of personal skills, as well as the goals which have to be achieved, is integral.

Green (2002) admits that each person has a unique personality and way of looking at the world they live in, this is why the process of self-assessment is obligatory (p. 3). A personal skill development plan has to be developed taking into consideration a number of significant issues like goal setting to the time period. If a person fails to take one of the above-mentioned steps in time in accordance with the instructions set, the rest of the work as well as the expected outcomes may undergo considerable changes and influence considerably human perception of personal duties.

Period to be considered for development

One of the first issues which have to be admitted by people who are going to develop a personal skill development plan is the evaluation of the time given. In the case analyzed in this paper, there are three whole weeks that may be devoted to the development of a plan. The number of days is clearly identified to meet several purposes. First, three weeks provide a person with a considerable amount of time to achieve a number of goals set. Second, three weeks are enough not only to take the steps and succeed in activities but also to analyze the results and define what promotes the success of actions and what introduces some challenges.

There are a number of steps and activities which may be taken by a person to improve personal skills and achieve good results in motivating other people. However, in case the steps are taken within a short period of time, there is a threat of poor understanding of a matter as well as wrongly defined purposes for the future. So, taking into account that there are six specific goals set in the personal skill development plan, three weeks seem to be enough to achieve each of them in a certain period of time.

Goals for personal skill development

Anderson, Yull, & Hellingsworth (2004) explain that in todays ever-growing competitive culture, individuals need to be as diverse as possible whilst still retaining their technical skills and knowledge base (p. 267). To achieve success in any sphere of life, it is crucially important to define goals and make sure there is a good plan to pursue each of them.

Right now, it is necessary to underline the goals which have to be achieved in a personal skill development plan that lasts for three weeks. There are six different goals that are developed considering personal skills, weak and strong points of a person who has to find appropriate sources of motivation, and be able to motivate other people to follow the same successful example.

1. The first goal of a plan is based on the idea of the preservation of the already achieved skills and knowledge base. One of the most serious mistakes which influence the way of human leadership is the inability to consider knowledge gained. This is why it is crucially important to be confident that personal experience, knowledge, and skills may be preserved and considered during the process of personal skill development. This is the long-term type of goal, and much attention has to be paid to it.
2. The second goal that has to be achieved is connected with the evaluation of the current state of affairs under which motivation takes place. In other words, a person has to find information about various aspects of life from time to time and be aware of the requirements set by society a person lives in. This is also a long-term goal that has to be achieved during a long period of time.
3. The third goal in the plan under discussion is closely connected with an idea of skills improvement. There are two types of skills that are not developed appropriately. They are listening abilities and communicative skills. This goal has to be of short-term type (Miller 2009, p.222) because as soon a person can achieve this goal and get successful results as productive the activities of a person would be observed in the future.
4. The fourth goal of the plan is to improve the relations between a person and other people who are unfamiliar with each other. It is necessary to have some kind of push to help other people understand the requirements (Hawkins 2009, p.145), this is why a person should be able to develop this stimulus to work with people. On the one hand, it is not that difficult to develop good relations and explain the purposes and expectations for people who are familiar with a leader and whom a leader is aware of. On the other hand, a person is not able to develop relations of good quality with people who are unknown to a person. This is why it is necessary to set a goal that should encourage a person to develop relations of various kinds with different people.
5. The fifth goal under consideration is based on the educational process and improving various personal skills at the same time. For example, if a person is able to develop his/her leadership skills, this person should also evaluate the situation and be ready to improve some other aspects of management like communication or listening. It is very important to combine several actions and activities, and personal skill development should consider this fact.
6. The last goal that has to be achieved is connected to personal attentiveness and attitudes to the tasks and conditions offered. A person should be able to understand the requirements and offer the steps with the help of which a situation can be improved. This is why the last goal is based on the idea of diverse activities that have to be taken at the same time.

Plan for skill development

Evaluation and reflection

Considering the problems I have with skills possession from the side of the literature review which has been conducted in the previous task, it should be mention that to achieve a goal I want, I should be extremely motivated. To be a good manager and motivate others, I should listen to them. Is not it a power that pushes me to certain actions? This information is stated in the work written by Wiseman (2008).

Hagger and Chatzisarantis (2007) write that to be able to motivate others one should be respected among those people and should have a good reputation. This confirms our idea that to be able to motivate others one should be a good leader. The same authors relate the problem of motivation to the business sphere. To be a leader helps to motivate employees.

Furthermore, it is impossible to do this if other skills are not properly obtained. If a manager does not hear his/her employees, he/she will not be able to have a good reputation, the workers will not respect him/her and they will not be able to go after him/her. The ability to motivate others is a great helper in business relations.

According to Alderfers theory (in Zepeda 2007), a person can motivate others only if he/she possesses some specific skills and qualities, like communication with others, involving them in the decision-making process, encouraging for doing other things, etc. These qualities are extremely important and we have mentioned it while the personal evaluation. Considering the ability to motivate others from the point of view of possession of some specific skills, the ideas offered by Borkowski (2009) should be considered.

This person states that it is impossible to motivate others if one cannot encourage people for doing something. It is skill leaders possess, so, it is impossible to motivate others if one does not possess the leadership skills. So, it may be concluded that from the point of view of the literature review conducted in the previous task, I have good inclinations for motivating other people, still, there are some skills which I should obtain to become a professional.

Providing the evaluation of the first part of this assignment where the general skills a manager should possess, my opinion about personal skills, and my friends opinion about me are stated, it should be mentioned that all those parts are closely connected. First, I definitely possess some of the skills a manager in the business world should have. Second, at the same time, my personal evaluation of the skills I possess does not coincide with the opinion my friends have.

Thus, being able to motivate others, I should possess the following skills, leadership, motivation, pure listening, and communication. Third, my friends agree that I am a good leader and that I have good motivating skills, at the same time they disagree with me that I am a good listener and that I possess communication abilities. It is impossible to avoid this opinion as these people know me and they see better what kind of person I am.

Therefore, to become a good manager and to able to motivate others I should pay attention to the words said by my friends. I should obtain listening and communicative skills which may help me get along with people better. At the same time, I should not forget about the skills I already have. It is necessary to support and constantly improve them.

Having evaluated the skills I have and the skills I should obtain, it should be mentioned that self-perfection is a key facility for success. Even If I managed to achieve the goals put before me, I would have to improve those constantly. I understand that obtaining listening and communicative skills is not so easy, that is why I prepared the personal skill development plan which is really helpful for me.

I know that I can cope with the tasks put before me. I also agree that it is difficult to do, but having considered the skills I obtain, I can say that I can motivate myself. The desire to become a good manager who can motivate others is a perfect reason to achieve the goals I put. Evaluating my inability to hear others, it should be mentioned that this ability may be trained with the help of my friends as it is always possible to ask whether I caught an idea of the conversation. Communicative skills may be considered by means of the same method.

In general, all goals set in this project are closely connected to each other, and a person has to achieve all of them to be able to find appropriate sources of motivation and motivate other people in the right way. The goals set in part two correspond to all the instructions set and have all important SMART characteristics which are specific (the goals clearly define what should be done), measurable (several quantitative characteristics are considered), agreed (several people are involved in the plan to help one person improve personal skills), realistic (each step is possible to take under current conditions), and, finally, time-framed (there are three weeks given to succeed in these goals achieving) (Carpolio & Andrewartha 2008, p.285).

The chosen skill development plan is a unique possibility to change a person, to improve various skills, and to help to understand what the characteristics of a good leader are. It is not always easy to understand personal weaknesses and turn them into personal strengths, still, a considerable amount of work, appropriate attitude to the duties, and attention to the details are helpful aspects to be considered. In this paper, a table introduces activities that should be done and the results that are expected. There are a number of chances to succeed in skill development, and the chosen plan is one of the most appropriate and available for me.

Reference List

Adair, J 2007, Leadership and Motivation: The Fifty-Fifty Rule and the Eight Key Principles of Motivating Others, Kogan Page Publishers.

Anderson, H, Yull, S, & Hollingsworth, B 2004, Higher National Computing: Core Units for BTEC Higher Nationals in Computing, Elsevier, Burlington.

Borkowski, N 2009, Organizational Behavior in Health Care, New Jersey, Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Caroline, J & Andrewartha, G 2008, Developing Management Skills: A Comprehensive Guide for Leaders, Prentice-Hall, Australia.

Green, MR 2002, Plan Skills Development, Max Johnson, Melbourne.

Hagger, M & Chatzisarantis, N 2007, Intrinsic Motivation, and Self-Determination in Exercise and Sport, New York, Human Kinetics.

Hawkins, M 2009, Activating Your Ambition: A Guide to Coaching the Best Out of Yourself and Others, Mike Hawkins, New York.

Miller, W 2009, ProActive Sales Management: How to Lead, Motivate, and Stay Ahead of the Game, AMACOM, New York.

Muzio, EG, Fisher, DJ and Thomas, E 2008, Four Secrets to Liking Your Work: You May Not Need to Quit to Get the Job You Want, FT Press.

Northouse, PG 2009, Leadership: Theory and Practice, SAGE.

Tharp, T & Reiter, M 2003, The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life: A Practical Guide. Simon and Schuster.

Wiseman, D 2008, Best Practice in Motivation and Management in the Classroom, New York, Charles C Thomas Publisher.

Zepeda, S 2007, Instructional Supervision: Applying Tools and Concepts, Eye on Education, U.S.

Workplace motivation necessitates that a team leader understands that not just a single person requires encouragement and guidance but rather a group of people with varying interests, approaches to their work ethic, and even goals. Thus, creating a productive environment and orienting people to achieve a shared goal requires understanding their differences. The assigned case study revolving around Rohits experience helps discern the problems that arise if team leaders take over the tasks their teams are qualified to do instead.

Discussion

The problem with Rohits case centers on a leader deconstructing their employees motivation. Having decided to move to Apex, Rohit did not do enough research on the team he would be joining, and relied his choice on personal impressions, rather than professional ones. Thus, after having experienced a leader who stimulated the working spirit of his team and encouraged his subordinates growth, Rohits new manager instead maintained a distanced and disinterested leadership style. This change made the transfer to a new job more stressful since the atmosphere did not satisfy Rohits expectations, built upon the idea of a leader as a motivational factor within the workflow process. Therefore, a lack of extrinsic motivation undermined his attitude towards both his job and work ethic, which could cost Rohit his overall professional growth in the long run if left as-is.

Key Terms

It is impossible to talk about motivation without outlining where it comes from and what it hopes to achieve. Motivation is the driving force behind all actions that any person pursues, which is affected by the ability to carry out these tasks and the opportunity to do so. Extrinsic and intrinsic types of motivation exist, with the former existing outside peoples control and, thus, independent from them, while the latter originates from a profoundly personal satisfaction with the carried out work. Physiological drives and social motives influence both, as they create the prerequisites for desiring something that a person does not yet have, which may be a skill, station, or even a pay grade. Thus, they help people adhere to a particular behavior to achieve their goals, which, along with the work put in to reach them, are reflected on later. This entire process is called motivation, which decides any actions course and intensity.

The Reasons for Rohits Disillusionment

Multiple models can be applied to the case in order to understand the origins of Rohits disillusionment. A very frequently used framework is Maslows hierarchy of needs, which will be considered here in detail. The bottom of the hierarchy consists of needs that are basic in that their satisfaction is required for human functioning and for developing the rest of the needs; they include physiological and safety-related concerns, for instance, hunger and housing. The higher-level needs are associated with more complex desires; they incorporate the needs for being a part of a group, being recognized and respected, and bettering oneself through self-actualization. Rohits salary was apparently substantial, which implies that no concerns about hunger or safety were probably significant in his case. Therefore, higher-level needs were instrumental for Rohits motivation; to ensure it, Aparna needed to foster a sense of belonging, demonstrate some recognition of Rohits contributions, and offer him opportunities for self-actualization.

However, Aparnas behavior is that of a leader who executes tasks, which she deems too hard for her team, herself. As a result, she prevented her employees from engaging in any challenging activities, denying them the opportunity to satisfy their highest-level need for self-improvement. Furthermore, her aloofness ensured that no sense of belonging could form within her group, and she was not interested in showing anyone recognition. Thus, the higher-level needs of Rohit remained unsatisfied because of Aparnas approach to management.

Similarly, Rohit may be perceived by Alderfers ERG theory as moving away from the need for self-actualization because of a loss of any previously received managerial appreciation. The fact that Rohit did not seek out higher management to change the situation or request a transfer to another department further supports this assumption. As his direct manager did not expect Rohits team to do anything that she did not facilitate for them, his station deprived him of both a feeling of accomplishment and a desire for personal growth.

The idea that people change managers, not jobs, is a truthful anecdote in the professional world, which is especially relevant in Rohits case. Rohit moved from being motivated by advancement to being highly dissatisfied with his workplace due to a lack of hygiene factors, such as Aparnas supervision and interpersonal team relationships, as per Herzbergs two-factor theory. Additionally, it is possible to identify both Rohit and his supervisor using McClellands Achievement Motivation Theory, as they fall respectively into the achievement-dominant and power-dominant category. Therefore, since his work became a simple matter of following orders, with no faith placed on the team to find solutions for themselves, Rohit lost first his extrinsic and then intrinsic motivation.

Rohits Actions to Resolve His Situation

Since Rohit is unable to control Aparnas actions, it may be necessary to seek out higher-standing managers within the company and search for an opening in another department or even look for a new job. As a power-dominant manager, Aparna may be open to neither constructive criticism nor requests to vest more power in her team. Rohits best interests lie in satisfying his need for being recognized as the professional he is, demonstrated by his standing and growth in Zen, and retaining the desire for working hard and with stellar results. Switching departments, jobs, or managers is essential before he completely loses the drive to be a better professional. Thus, communication with someone sympathetic to his cause may be Rohits best plan, especially as he may bring to light with an intercompany executive the possibility of bettering of the productivity of Aparnas team.

Assuming that Aparna wants to make changes to her leadership style, for example, to achieve higher productivity or to satisfy an order, she may try to create better lines of communication with her team while paying attention to needs and motivations as defined by Maslows and other models. Allowing her employees to participate in the decision-making process is an evident change that demonstrates attention to recognition and self-actualization needs, but if Aparna continues to act dismissive of others ideas, it may not be enough. Furthermore, acknowledging the variety of the intra-team drives and motives is essential to creating a better working environment, which the possibility of attaining the goals set by all team members for themselves inspires. This course of action may allow not only heightening productivity and workplace satisfaction but also nurturing a corporate spirit, which is indispensable in a substantially large company like Apex. Thus, any leader must be accessible to their subordinates, understand their employees professional interests, motivation, and needs, and have enough of their employees support to achieve a high level of motivation within their teams.

Motivation is one of the essential factors that help increase individual performance. It should not be taken for granted  various reasons and factors result in diminishing employee motivation. Part of the managers job is to keep the staff motivated; to do so, the manager can apply theoretical frameworks concerning workforce motivation, such as expectancy theory. He can also use motivation methods or incentives to support subordinates and keep a high team spirit.

If left unchecked, motivation can expire, resulting in an unwillingness to work, improve, or contribute to the company. The workplace environment plays a vital part in employee motivation; if it is not adequately maintained, people will begin to tire. Additionally, if an employee feels undervalued in a workplace or else has to face unrealistic workloads, the emotional and physical exhaustion will ultimately result in demotivation. It might also occur when the staff is provided only with short-term objectives without any place for career growth  it limits the planning and takes away the stimulus.

To positively influence employees expectations, managers can use the expectancy theory. In short, it implies increased individual performance based on whether people can perceive the outcome of their actions and how strongly they desire it (Bateman et al., 2020). For example, employees will be demotivated if they do not value the perceived reward, do not believe they will receive it, or if the perceived goal difficulty is too great.

In the light of expectancy theory, the practice that VP Thomas can apply to motivate people is to understand what demotivates them in the first place. Striking the root of the problem can help deal with its continuous consequences (Lloyd & Mertens, 2018). If the reward is insufficient, he might try to increase it. Otherwise, if the teams goal seems exceedingly complicated, Thomas can try to split it into smaller parts and address them separately.

If the manager can maintain the high motivation level of his team, the latter will perform better. The workplace might include various demotivating features, such as a hostile environment, absence of personal and career growth, and a significant workload. To control them, the manager can apply the framework of expectancy theory  increase the employees positive expectations of the job done. For example, he can try to increase the reward or simplify the goals to influence subordinates expectations positively.

References

Bateman, T. S., Snell, S., & Konopaske, R. (2020). Management. McGraw-Hill Education.

Lloyd, R., & Mertens, D. (2018). Expecting more out of expectancy theory: History urges inclusion of the social context. International Management Review, 14(1), 28-43.

Committed towards Corporate objectives

Motivated employees are happy and satisfied with their job. They are always committed towards the realization of the organization goals and objectives. Thus, they ensure that they work towards achievement of the goals of an organization.

Because of their passion for their jobs, it is noted that motivated employees are highly productive and goes beyond the call of duty in order to cater for the needs of the business they work for. Motivated workforce is known to perform well and greatly contributes towards the expansion of businesses.

High Quality products, and innovations

Motivated employees are known to be highly dedicated to their duties. The great passion and dedication for employees is linked with high quality production as well as high level of innovations. This has enabled such business to create a competitive advantage over rival brands which enable them to perform well.

Such companies are rarely faced with considerable downsizing, but instead, such businesses where employees are motivated are always engaging in expansion strategies which are very essential in elevating the current high level of unemployment in the society.

Less Turnover and sick off

Motivated employees are less stressed. This means that such employees are very healthy and rarely miss to report for duty because of health related issues. Companies that have motivated employees are high performers as employees do not often take sick off. In addition such companies have high employees retention rate as employees are satisfied with their jobs and thus ,are not now and then looking for better alternatives as in the organizations where employees are not motivated.

Reseach Methodology

The study will user case study design as the framework to guide the study. The use of case study design will be instrumental in ensuring that appropriate companies are selected for the study. In order to identify the sample from the targeted population, the researcher will use effective Sampling strategy which is imperative in ensuring that the study identifies relevant participants to take part in the study. The researcher will use purposive sampling method where 10 companies with equal number of employees will be selected for this study.

Qualititive & Quantitative

The study conducted will be both qualitative as well as quantitative in nature. In order for the researcher to be in a position to include relevant statistics to illustrate the quantitative part of the study, the researcher will use a questionnaire with closed ended questions in order to generate the anticipated inferences. In addition, the questionnaire will include open ended questions that will help in the qualitative analysis. In addition, the researcher will conduct a focus interview with human resource managers from specific organizations in order to supplement the qualitative results received from the open ended questions.

List of References

Garg, P & Radtogi, R 2005, The Most Effective Method of Increasing Employees Performance, Journal of Management, Vol. 6, NO. 9, pp. 56-78.

Hong, J 1995, Impacts of Employees Benefits on Work Motivation and Productivity, International Journal of Career Management, Vol. 7, no, 6, PP 10-16.

Samuel, M & Chipunza, C 2009, Employee Retention and Turnover: Using Motivational Variables as a Panacea, African Journal of Business Management, Vol. 3. No. 8, PP. 410-415.

The Importance of Individual Differences in Selection

The importance of the individual and unique distinction in employee selection, training, and motivation lies in the following aspects. As a rule, people differ significantly in terms of cognitive and physical abilities, interests, emotions, knowledge, abilities and personalities (Landy & Conte, 2018). Most often, these dissimilarities are considered distinctive characteristics of an individual. Furthermore, some studies demonstrate a reasonably close relationship between methods and means of personnel choice and forecasting the effectiveness of labor activity and workers training (Landy & Conte, 2018). Therefore, realizing the individual contrasts between certain people, an employer gets an opportunity to select the best worker, which leads to a significant increase in laborer performance, cost reduction, and as a result  profit growth.

The Importance of Individual Differences in Training

One should also note that solving practical problems in all spheres of human activity is hardly possible without considering individual distinctions. In general, every person learns new knowledge and skills at different speeds. Hence, considering the knowledge of the personal characteristics of each worker, who tend to have different learning styles, a special training coach will arrange the courses in such a way as to interest all participants. In this case, it will also be possible to create a particular program of assignments and apply those methods of work that will be attractive to all parties. Such exercises will help people use the strengths of their preferred learning style and compensate for their weaknesses.

The Importance of Individual Differences in Motivation

Moreover, it should be emphasized that each employee either has or does not have inspiration. Landy and Conte (2018) claim that there is a close, deep connection between personality traits and the urge to act. Thus, for example, a person with an unstable psyche is less charged with success, whereas conscientious and decent workers will set more complex goals and tasks for themselves (Landy & Conte, 2018). Hence, in order to understand the dual nature of motivation, a manager must know that human behavior in the work process is specified by the interaction of various external and internal aspects. By this fact, the structure of each persons needs is determined by their place in the social hierarchy and previously acquired experience. Therefore, understanding and realizing such a meaningful point, a leader will quickly identify those workers vulnerabilities and will encourage them to perform specific actions independently.

References

Cascio, W. F., & Aguinis, H. (2019). Applied psychology in talent management (8^th ed.). Sage Publications.

Landy, F. J., & Conte, J. M. (2018). Work in the 21st century: An introduction to industrial and organizational psychology (6^th ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Robertson, I., & Cooper, C. (2001). Personnel psychology and human resources management. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Introduction

The workplace can be stressful and demanding, and it is no surprise that many issues can arise. Communication breakdowns, a lack of motivation, and conflict between employees are some of the most common workplace problems because they are all linked to how people interact. These three combined problems can create a toxic work environment and damage a companys success.

Discussion

Communication problems are among the most common workplace issues. Irrespective of the size, industry, or area of the business, communication is a critical element of a successful workplace (Campbell et al., 2020). Poor communication can lead to a lack of understanding and awareness, resulting in a breakdown of the relationship between employees, managers, and colleagues. A supervisor should strive to establish an open and honest communication environment to address and correct communication breakdowns at the workplace. This means actively listening to employees, encouraging them to share their ideas and opinions, providing ongoing feedback and support, and additional training and resources to help employees better understand their roles and responsibilities. These actions provide employees with the necessary tools and resources to improve communication leading to increased efficiency in the workplace. Additionally, it builds trust between the supervisor and the employees, which will help to foster a culture of collaboration and respect.

Another common workplace problem is a lack of motivation. According to Pancasila et al. (2020), without a sense of purpose, employees can quickly lose interest in their work and feel unmotivated to complete their tasks. Employees often deal with repetitive tasks and limited job satisfaction, leading to decreased morale. I have experienced a lack of motivation at the workplace before. It was a difficult situation because it was hard to find the energy and enthusiasm to complete projects and tasks. I found that it was important to focus on my goals and try to stay positive. I tried to find ways to stay motivated, such as setting small goals and celebrating successes. I also tried to take regular breaks and take time to practice self-care. In addition, I spoke to my supervisors and colleagues to get their perspectives and advice. Ultimately, I was able to bring back the motivation and find success.

Managers should strive to identify the underlying causes of lack of motivation and create an environment conducive to productivity and job satisfaction. This can be achieved by providing employees with the necessary tools to complete their tasks and consistently recognizing and rewarding good performance. Furthermore, they should ensure that employees understand their roles and responsibilities and that their individual goals align with the organizations goals. Additionally, creating a clear path for career growth and providing opportunities for employees to develop their skills can help keep employees engaged and motivated, leading to improved performance.

Finally, conflict between employees can be a major issue in the workplace. Disagreements and personality clashes between colleagues can lead to decreased productivity, strained relationships, and a hostile work environment (Zahlquist et al., 2019). Supervisors or managers should approach the situation with an attempt to resolve the conflict in a respectful, non-confrontational manner. They should take the time to explain to both parties why their actions were inappropriate and help them to understand each others perspectives. The supervisor or manager should also ensure the safety of all employees involved by creating a safe and comfortable environment for communication. These actions will help the situation by diffusing the tension and allowing both parties to move forward more flexibly and cooperatively. It will also help to foster a positive and productive work environment by modeling appropriate behaviors, encouraging healthy communication, and emphasizing the importance of mutual respect and collaboration.

Conclusion

Overall, communication problems, a lack of motivation, and conflict between employees are three of the most common workplace problems. Managers need to identify these issues early on and address them promptly to ensure that the workplace remains a productive and positive environment. These issues can be managed and eliminated by encouraging open and honest communication, providing meaningful incentives to motivate employees, and fostering an atmosphere of respect and understanding.

References

Campbell, S., Campbell-Phillips, S., & Phillips, D. (2020). Lack of communication between management and employees. SIASAT, 5(3), 3239. Web.

Pancasila, I., Haryono, S., & Sulistyo, B. A. (2020). Effects of work motivation and leadership toward work satisfaction and employee performance: Evidence from Indonesia. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 7(6), 387397. Web.

Zahlquist, L., Hetland, J., Skogstad, A., Bakker, A. B., & Einarsen, S. V. (2019). Job demands as risk factors of exposure to bullying at work: The moderating role of team-level conflict management climate. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 2017. Web.

Introduction

This report is on case analysis of Siemens that deal with motivation within a creative environment. This paper will analyze how Siemens motivates its employees within a creative environment using the SWOT analysis. Siemens, an engineering company, produces an endless variety of products and services that are used by many people on a day to day basis.

Some of the products that are manufactured by siemens include traffic lights, wind generators, gas turbines and domestic devices such as fridges and kettles among many others. Siemens also give services such the maintenance and support of BBCs website. Siemens also generates approximately 40% of the wind energy used in the UK. The company also employs more that four hundred thousand people globally (The Times 100, 2009).

Case Analysis using SWOT

This report analyzes how Siemens motivates its employees within a creative environment. SWOT analysis tool will help in identifying the internal factors such as strengths and weaknesses. The tool will analyze the external factors such as the opportunities of threats.

This will help siemens to plan and focus on the key issues in the company (Marketing teacher, 2009). By knowing how to apply the SWOT analysis, Siemens will be competitive to its competitors (Zahorsky, 2009). Siemens has a lot of strengths in the business environment through the motivation of its employees within a creative environment.

Many people survive by using many of the products and service produced by siemens. Different types of customers also benefit by the use of the siemens products and service since there are different types of products that are produced by siemens. This is because siemens produces a range of products from domestic appliances to medical appliances.

By operating in many countries globally, siemens has helped in the contribution of building the economy through employment opportunities. Since most of siemens products are produced through innovation other than invention, the production costs of the company has been reduced due to improvement of the already existing products than creation of a new invention (The Times 100, 2009).

Working at siemens allows engineers to use their creativity, skills, ideas, passion and energy to improve the already existing products. Siemens has also provided opportunities to young people to enter the engineering world despite their level of education and thereafter improving their skills and experiences.

This helps in giving opportunity to people of different level that are rejected in other companies. Siemens also trains and provides educational opportunities to their employees therefore improving peoples standards. Siemens also provide a creative working environment that helps in motivating its employees. By being imaginative and influencing owns work the employees at siemens are motivated therefore improving the performance at the company (The Times 100, 2009).

Motivation increases work energy and reduces the number of absentees since people belong and take pride in their work. Siemens has created a working environment that encourages people to be more involved in working since they suggest, implement and offer improvements.

Employees at siemens work with enthusiasm therefore improving their performance and increasing their job satisfaction. Another way in which employees at siemens are motivated is through the fulfillment of the higher order needs such as self esteem and self actualization.

Siemens as also managed in changing its programmes through the involvement of the employees and creation of issues awareness. The engineers at siemens have been able to work at the best due to the motivators that have been provided by the company (The Times 100, 2009).

Siemens has a control of observing the employees has they perform their duties. This can be a weakness to the company since that alone cannot be a form of control. This can be solved by working with the employees to increase their enthusiasm. Since siemens only employees about 500 thousand people globally, the company should seek in expanding its markets to increase their production while building the economy through employments.

Siemens has also the opportunity of collecting creative ideas from young people at all levels therefore increasing trust and respect from the community by giving opportunity to all levels of people without discrimination. Through improving the motivation techniques in the company, the company is able to improve its performance. To avoid having any unmotivated employees in the company, the company should investigate and improve their motivational skills from feedbacks (The Times 100, 2009).

Siemens offer training and opportunities for people at all level to go for further studies. Since, the employees can move into other departments other than engineering, they might take the advantage to resign after the training and education opportunities. The issues at siemens can be applied in starting a small scale business.

In starting a creative business such as creation of artistic products such as birthday cards, wall hangings and other decorative products, a person needs to identify the strength and weaknesses of that business so as to know how to operate the business. By identifying the opportunities and threats, the business will be competitive among its competitors.

The employees at the creative business should be motivated to apply their artistic skills in order to produce innovated products. Employees can also be trained and educated on producing the best artistic products to be competitive (Zahorsky, 2009).

Conclusion

Motivation helps people to bring out the best in a working place. When people are allowed to work at their own creativity, they tend to be more involved in their work therefore experiencing job satisfaction. In starting a small business such as creative business for artistic products such as birthday cards, wall hangings, a person needs to identify the strength and weaknesses of that business so as to know what to do in the business and by identifying the opportunities and threats, the business will be competitive among its competitors.

The employees at the creative business should be motivated to apply their artistic skills in order to produce innovated products. Employees can also be trained and educated on producing the best artistic products to be competitive (Zahorsky, 2009).

References

Marketing teacher ltd. (2009). SWOT Analysis: Lesson. Web.

The Times Newspaper Limited. (2009). Siemens: Motivation within a creative environment. MBA Publishing Ltd. Web.

Zahorsky, D. (2009). A Business Owners Secret Weapon: SWOT Analysis. SWOT Analysis for Small Business. Web.

An effective compensation system can help an enterprise promotion among competitors, as this is a factor of strong impact on the performance of employees. In response to some of the events in the companies that changed them, motivation systems were developed as a counter to the demoralization of employees (Alam, 2023). Over time, the original problems lose relevance, and the situation rapidly changes in the market and enterprise. Strategic compensation is one of the most important elements of motivation for staff. Thanks to this, employees can feel more needed in the company.

People may perceive strategic compensation differently, but it is an effective retention method. As an HR manager at Keeprite Refrigeration, I can say that more people felt the moral high ground when the strategic compensation system began to be implemented in the company. The lesson from the class on compensation can be applied at work in order to create better working conditions for employees. This has a beneficial effect on the productivity of the company as people put more effort into their work. There is potential in academic life to explore this topic and develop compensation theory. A more consistent and effective reward strategy can be created through the interaction of different company departments. For example, the finance department can fairly distribute remuneration based on managers reports on personnel performance. Thus, three interested parties (finance department, manager and staff) are involved in creating strategic compensation. However, this raises the question of whether, in such a case, compensation could be awarded unfairly to the contrary. As a colleague pointed out, receiving feedback can also be one of the beneficial ways to improve the reward system.

In conclusion, it can be said that a compensation strategy, whether monetary or otherwise, is vital for companies. The modern worker is the bearer of professional skills and knowledge, and he/she is more independent from employers. He/she decides in which company it is more profitable to realize his knowledge. Strategic compensation helps people feel relevant to the organization. Each employee must understand that his work is necessary; in this case, the goals will always be achieved.

Reference

Alam, A. (2023). Cloud-Based E-learning: Scaffolding the Environment for Adaptive E-learning Ecosystem Based on Cloud Computing Infrastructure. In Computer Communication, Networking and IoT (pp. 1-9). Springer, Singapore. Web.

Introduction

People possess differing views of technology: ardent users claim that it is the future of humanity, while skeptics argue that people should not rely on it too much due to numerous hazards. However, it is impossible to deny that technology is a widely used facet of life for most people around the globe. Programming has become an area associated with creativity, success, and the realm of the future.

One project promulgating this idea by enhancing learners motivation to program is the Hour of Code, which has already become an international movement (Du et al. 54). Ali and Hadi Partovi, founders of the non-profit organization Code.org that manages this project, stress that it provides young people with an opportunity to express their creativity and become successful. Many promotional videos are available online to introduce viewers to the idea and entice them to investigate further. This paper includes an analysis of some of these videos and explores the possible outcomes of the Hour of Code approach with a focus on the topics of creativity and success.

Hour of Code and True Creativity

While the promotional videos for Hour of Code target a wide audience that can include middle schoolers as well as older adults, the emphasis remains on school-aged children (and their parents), students, and young adults. In support of this claim is the fact that these videos feature celebrities who are popular among those in the above-mentioned age groups, stars such as Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shakira, and Ashton Kutcher, who offer inspiring words that relate well to the target audience (The Hour of Code Is Here).

In addition to talking about the project, these spokespersons demonstrate using the program in an attempt to motivate viewers to try it as well (see fig. 1). The entire experience is presented as being enjoyable and easy; the design of the videos seeks to convey that everyone trying the program is happy and satisfied. Another argument in favor of the claim that the creators of the video are targeting a young audience is the depiction of children and teenagers as program users (see fig. 2). The pictured school-age children appear motivated and completely absorbed in the project in particular as well as programming in general.

As the videos display, a primary goal of the non-profit and the project is to give individuals from different backgrounds and parts of the globe the opportunity to be creative and to master a highly promising profession. Viewers are tacitly invited to see the participating children as future programmers who will help humanity progress. The videos also feature Bill Gates, the famous philanthropist, maintaining that technology helps to reveal creativity (What is Creativity?).

Barak Obama, one of the most admired people in the United States, asserts that Hour of Code is a way to support computer science in all American schools (Hour of Code  Worldwide). Steve Jobs, an icon of success and innovation, is also featured, promoting the idea that everyone should be able to code (The Hour of Code Is Here). The messages thus articulated are simple and motivational, enticing viewers to try the product that Code.org is promoting.

As mentioned, success is a recurring theme in the videos. In one, Hadi Partovi addresses viewers with a direct request to help bring computer science to all schools and all children around the world (Hour of Code  Worldwide). Two teenaged girls featured in another video showing how coding is valued in many spheres of life and by many professionals, motivating young people to join and build their future careers (The Hour of Code Is Here). Importantly, the videos often link creativity with the concept of success, encouraging viewers to make a difference by entering a specific profession or at least to understand the basics of a specific discipline.

However, the videos do not show the other side of the projects and the possible goals of the founders. Brooks and Lindgren note that Hour of Code and similar projects are an attempt to address the coding crisis or the fear that those who do not program are programmed (1). Moreover, the researchers assert that the push to promote coding is deeply rooted in the desire of corporations (and the US government) to retain a leading position in the world (Brooks and Lindgren 1).

The founders of the non-profit Code.org affirm these assumptions by claiming the project was primarily launched to provide American children the opportunity to become competitive as adults (Delevett). At the same time, the would-be benefactors fail to mention that they and their contemporaries would benefit most if all the targeted children should share their ideas and innovate. Bill Gatess corporation and the companies owned by Hadi and Ali Partovi as well as many major players in the industry will receive access to a potentially unlimited pool of human resources.

While employment for individuals, paired with corporations ability to earn billions, can be regarded as a win-win situation, another flawed facet of the project and associated campaign involves the way that creativity is presented. A central idea voiced in the videos is that coding is the best way to explore ones creativity and make a difference in the modern world. However, creativity is not confined to technologylife involves much more.

Technology may be all-encompassing, but humanity has advanced in numerous areas. Science, the visual arts, and literature, along with many other areas, rely on creativity and the ability to innovate. Although technology is another sphere where people can and should be creative and innovative, it represents only one of many possible paths. Thus, a major weakness of the promotional campaign for this project is the idea that everyone should be programming.

Instead, it is important to acquaint learners with coding essentials while introducing them to a variety of other opportunities and prospects in various spheres. Of course, it remains essential to empower underprivileged groups and enhance their chances of landing a good job that will enable them to become successful. However, programming is not the only industry where people can realize their potential.

Such projects as Hour of Code or Girls Who Code can indeed help thousands of people and can be instrumental in achieving equity in society. For example, Girls Who Code aims at empowering girls and motivating them to enter a profession where females are underrepresented (About Us). However, this type of promotional campaign and the videos it generates can also cause much distress, especially for those who are not good at programming.

Pushing such programs exclusively can lead young learners to think that being able to code is the only way to succeed in the 21st century, which is not true. Although technology use will continue to grow year by year, human creativity will remain vital in numerous and varied spheres of life.

Finally, the technical aspect of the project should also be considered. Brooks and Lindgren claim that even in America, children may have limited or no access to technology (6). This means that millions of learners in Asia, Latin America, Africa, and North America cannot fully benefit from participating in the project. Furthermore, social stratification in many societies may hinder the benefits of the movement. Therefore, the people involved in implementing this project should pay close attention to the availability of resources.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is necessary to emphasize that Hour of Code promises to be a helpful project that can enable thousands or even millions of people to succeed in life. However, the urgency in its presentation and the way it is promoted can exert certain undesirable effects. The targeted individuals may concentrate on programming and ignore other areas and industries, which may result in economic losses and other adverse outcomes.

On the positive side, it is possible to motivate children and teenagers to try coding and become acquainted with the basics of programming. This effort promises benefit for countries and individuals as people will be encouraged to continue developing technologies, empowering them to address such major issues as global warming or inequality. Nevertheless, it is also vital to ensure that the movement and the associated promotional campaigns will not be completely technology-centered to the exclusion of all other possibilities. Creativity is not confined to coding or using technology, and everyone must keep this fact in mind.

Works Cited

About Us. Girls Who Code, 2019. Web.

Brooks, Kevin, and Chris Lindgren. Responding to the Coding Crisis: From Code Year to Computational Literacy. Strategic Discourse: The Politics (New) Literacy Crises, edited by Lynn Lewis, Computers and Composition Digital Press / Utah State University Press, 2016, pp. 1-22. Web.

Delevett, Peter. Partovi Twins Quietly Emerge as Top Silicon&. The Mercury News. 2016. Web.

Du, Jie, et al. Hour of Code: Can It Change Students Attitudes Toward Programming? Journal of Information Technology Education: Innovations In Practice, vol 15, 2016, pp. 053-073.

Hour of Code  Worldwide. YouTube, uploaded by Code.org. 2016. Web.

The Hour of Code Is Here. YouTube, uploaded by Code.org. 2013. Web.

What is Creativity? (with Bill Gates, Malala, Rosario Dawson, Lisa Loeb and Susan Wojcicki). YouTube, uploaded by Code.org. 2018. Web.

Maintaining a healthy level of self-esteem and self-respect seems to be indispensable for a well-functioning person. Esteem needs in Maslows Hierarchy represent a desire to have a realistic and, at the same time, positive opinion about oneself. Statements similar to it is important for me to do the best job possible and I am a hard worker characterize my current set of incentives most fully. In my experience, self-esteem and motivation are two closely related notions, as during periods of increased motivation, my self-esteem also tends to be higher. The quality of my work and determination are essential for self-respect.

Needs fulfilled through human interactions constitute one of the primary resources for my motivation. Although social needs may be discouraging as well, time spent with family, for instance, can inspire a desire to succeed in education. Phrases I spend a lot of time talking to other people and when I have a choice, I try to work in a group instead of by myself represent need for social interactions. From my perspective, a sense of belonging and validation to a degree are the necessities that form the core of the hierarchy and basis for its higher levels.

In the contemporary cultural discourse self-actualization and fulfilling ones potential as a person is strongly encouraged. This Maslows Hierarchy of Needs level, as I see it, is the most relevant in the pursuit of higher education. I push myself to be all that I can be and I try very hard to improve on my past performance at school, on this level, describe the source of my motivation extensively. The need to realize personal potential and learn the limits of ones capabilities is a significant stimulus that is founded on the outlined ones. Self-actualization incorporates the completion of the need for autonomy, acceptance, and an in-depth understanding of oneself that currently constitute my set of motives.