Problem: Practice Being A Manager

The Makings of Motivation

Motivation is an invisible and powerful force. Strong motivation can drive individuals and organizations to remarkable heights of achievement. A loss of motivation can leave us dispirited and ineffective. One of the fundamental responsibilities of managers is to support healthy worker motivation. This exercise will allow you to practice designing support for worker motivation.

Step 1: Divide intro groups. Your professor will organize you in pairs or groups of three.

Step 2: Prepare interviews. Between this class session and the target date set by your professor, you and your partner(s) will each interview two individuals about motivation at work. You should brainstorm about possible types of work, interesting individuals, and so on, and then agree on each partner's list of interviewees/jobholders. Some considerations for brainstorming include jobs or types of work that you consider particularly interesting, appealing, or mysterious; jobs or types of work that you consider particularly uninteresting, dull, or monotonous (how does a person do that work day after day?); and self-employed or creative work (how do such workers manage their own motivation without a boss or supervisor?)

Step 3: Conduct interviews. Outside of class each student should complete their assigned interviews. Inform the potential interview that you are interested in talking about workplace motivation. Set a time that is convenient and ensure that you arrive on time and prepared. Make the interview brief, with 15-20 minutes a good target. Go beyond 20 minutes only if the interview gives permission and the discussion is lively. Be sure to thank the interview for taking the time to visit with you. Your instructor may give additional instructions for these interviews, and you should carefully follow these guidelines in conducting the interview. Interview questions might include the following:

1. How would you describe your work? What are some of the things that you particularly like about your work?

2. We are currently studying the topic of motivation in one of my classes. What boosts your motivation at work? If you have ever experienced a period of low motivation, can you identify things that might have contributed to your losing steam in your work?

3. What kinds of rewards or incentives work best to motivate individuals and/or teams who do your type of work? What kinds of rewards or incentives don't work so well?

Step 4: Summarize your findings. Write a one-page paper summarizing your interview findings. Be prepared to compare notes with your partners and to contribute to class discussion.

Step 5: Debrief as a class. Pairs/small groups report their findings and discuss as a class. What did you learn from your interviews? Did you notice common themes or issues across the interviews you conducted? Did you notice any striking differences across individuals or types of work? What are some possible implications of these interview findings for managers who are responsible for cultivating healthy motivation in a particular work setting?