Leadership & Management Lesson 23: Motivation and Performance: Situation Theory

Lesson 23 Objectives The student will comprehend advantages and limitations to the operant approach. The student will comprehend and distinguish between motivators and hygiene factors

Lesson 23 Objectives The student will comprehend and distinguish between horizontal and vertical job loading and apply both to a task you require of a subordinate. The student will comprehend the overlapping features shared by both Maslow’s and Herzberg’s theories.

The Operant Approach Advantages and limitations of the operant (carrot and stick) approach: Careful administration of rewards and punishments can reinforce desired behaviors and help to establish a pattern of proper behavior [to include productivity] by subordinates.  However, the resultant motivation typically remains extrinsic, requiring supervisors to constantly monitor and evaluate the competitive [in contrast to the benefits of not desired behavior] quality of their chosen rewards and punishments. It is supervisor intensive, but an effective tool of transactional leadership. 

Motivators and Hygiene Factors Frederick Herzberg theorized that two entirely separate dimensions contribute to an employee’s behavior at work—hygiene factors and motivators. Hygiene factors are elements such as working conditions, pay, policies, interpersonal relationships Motivators fulfill high-level needs and include achievement, recognition, responsibility and opportunity for growth

Motivators and Hygiene Factors Motivators satisfy subordinates–-the things which encourage them to attend work, comply to group or team goals, and produce.  They often are linked to performance. Positive recognition by a superior and among peers during a formal meeting is an example of this.

Motivators and Hygiene Factors Hygiene factors keep subordinates from being dissatisfied. They apply to subordinates regardless of performance.  Timely and thorough completion of and counseling on fitness evaluations are an example of a hygiene factor.  The act is expected. When it does not happen subordinates become dissatisfied and may come to believe that superiors are not taking care of them. Satisfiers (motivators) and dissatisfiers (hygiene factors) lie on completely different scales and must be considered independently.

Horizontal and Vertical Job Loading Horizontal and vertical job loading and application to a task you require of a subordinate: Horizontal job loading is a superficial change in the assignment of a subordinate. The new assignment has no greater complexity or importance and amounts to a change in scenery. An example of this in a ship’s deck division is having a seaman chip paint on the foc’sle, then re-assigning the seaman to carry tools to the after gear locker.  

Horizontal and Vertical Job Loading Vertical job loading is a realizable change in the assignment of a subordinate. The new assignment may involve a greater level of complexity or carry a more significant impact. This new assignment may be in conjunction with a simpler one. An example of this in deck division is assigning the sailor field daying the paint locker to check hazmat codes and dates on the supplies in the paint locker with the MSDS sheets and ship’s HAZMAT instruction in the process.

Maslow’s and Herzberg’s Theories Overlapping features shared by both Maslow’s and Herzberg’s theories: Hygiene factors are predominantly related to lower level needs. Herzberg’s motivators target higher level needs. The very notion that dissatisfiers (hygiene factors) and satisfiers (motivators) must be dealt with distinctly is congruent with the distinction between basic needs and what satisfies them.

Maslow’s and Herzberg’s Theories A promise of glory does not necessarily encourage a soldier who has not eaten in five days, even if a turkey dinner is promised after the victory. This is a clear difference between Maslow and the operant approach— needs actually have to be met to raise subordinates so that they are receptive to the next level goal, not the promise of reward.

Maslow’s and Herzberg’s Theories Vertical loading is another example: Consider the role of vertical job loading in terms of giving junior personnel an opportunity to mentor even more junior personnel, meeting the need to give as well as receive care-affection-concern. Also a fall-out of vertical job loading is the fulfillment of esteem in the sense of REAL capacity, achievement, and respect.)

Exercise The Golf Ball

Next Class Case Study: USS SAMUEL B. ROBERTS OR USS STARK Read: Leadership & Management, Chapter 24

Summary The operant approach can reinforce desired behavior, but requires constant monitoring and evaluation of chosen rewards and punishments Hygiene factors (dissatisfiers) are working conditions, pay, policies, interpersonal relationships Motivators (satisfiers) fulfill high-level needs and include recognition, responsibility and opportunity for growth Horizontal job loading is superficial change, whereas vertical job loading is realizable change and can carry a significant (positive) impact on the subordinate