The Puzzle of Motivation

This discussion is based on a TED Talk by Dan Pink.  Pink, a former speech writer, career analyst, and author of the book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, reveals some remarkable facts about motivation that have been confirmed in many social science experiments but aren’t widely recognized.  Pink argues that the way we’re motivating people is all wrong, and he proposes a new model to replace traditional incentives.

Watch Pink’s TED Talk in the Reading and Resources section, then respond to all of the following questions in your post:

1. Did you find Pink’s talk surprising?  Why or why not?

Pink concludes:

“There is a mismatch between what science knows and what business does. Here is what science knows. One: Those 20th century rewards, those motivators we think are a natural part of business, do work, but only in a surprisingly narrow band of circumstances. Two: Those if-then rewards often destroy creativity. Three: The secret to high performance isn’t rewards and punishments, but that unseen intrinsic drive–the drive to do things for their own sake. The drive to do things cause they matter."

2. How do you think managers can use this knowledge to motivate their employees? How will you use this knowledge in your own pursuits?

In response to your peers, expand on their ideas related to motivation with the goals of extending the discussions already taking place or posing new possibilities or opinions not previously voice. Whether you agree or disagree, explain why with supporting evidence and concepts from the readings or a related experience. Include a reference, link, or citation when appropriate.

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An example of a successful team is the production team at Ford Motor Company. The team has been effective because it has high-performing staff members. The leadership at Ford Motors makes the teams effective. Leaders tend to motivate their employees. The team is also effective because of communication. There has to be effective communication in a team. Communication helps to build a sense of camaraderie. Team members can share ideas and insights if they can communicate freely. The level of productivity can increase if the members communicate freely to share ideas. Another thing that makes the Ford Motors team effective is having clear objectives and common goals (Bannister et al., 2018). The objectives are clear to the team members. The members understand what they are supposed to achieve. The team members set goals and objectives as a group. Respect and trust have also made the team effective. There has to be trusted among the team members. The team members collaborate to complete various tasks.

The team has various characteristics of effective teams. These include collaboration, communication, and clear roles. The members of the team understand their roles. They also prioritize the objectives of the team over their interests. The team has objectives that are clearly defined. Diverse viewpoints are encouraged in the team (Bannister et al., 2018). There is close collaboration among the team members. Team members can communicate openly and freely. They can listen to each other to learn about different viewpoints.

The processes in which the team set goals and chooses members to include looking for resourceful individuals and hiring the best fit. The team set goals by using the SMART system. It also decides what has to be accomplished and establishes team-wide objectives. Establishing team-wide objectives makes the team more collaborative and unified. The team also allows the members to choose objectives. It keeps track of the progress of achieving goals and objectives and learns from the errors (Mickan et al., 2020). When hiring team members, adequate research is conducted. The team hires individuals with teamwork and collaboration skills. It looks for proactive individuals, good communicators, disciplined and organized.

The team’s success depends on these processes. The processes enable the team to hire individuals with great communication skills. They also ensure that the team works with individuals who have teamwork skills. The team focuses on the knowledge and skills of candidates when choosing members. The team’s success also depends on how it sets its goals. The team can easily succeed by establishing team-wide objectives.

REFERENCES

Bannister, S. L., Wickenheiser, H. M., & Keegan, D. A. (2018). Key elements of highly effective teams. Pediatrics, 133(2), 184-186.

Mickan, S., & Rodger, S. (2020). Characteristics of effective teams: a literature review. Australian Health Review, 23(3), 201-208.