Afraid of what?

I have worked for my current employer for almost four and a half years. In that time, we have had four different CEOs whose motivational styles and techniques have varied significantly. This has resulted in noticeable shifts in employee morale.

As I study motivational concepts and theories, I am increasingly realizing that these CEOs were not blindly going through leadership motions, as I once thought. They followed motivational principles in which they believed.

I joined my company in late 2004, our first year of operation in Ohio. At that time, we worked under a Theory Y participative motivational structure (Shah & Shah). The company’s and employees’ goals were integrated, and we basically followed the motivational style/template of our out-of-state parent company.

We expanded throughout Ohio quite rapidly in 2005, and the complexity of that growth led to some serious departmental disconnects and operational failures. The existing corporate structure was not working locally, and the CEO left the company. We needed a leader who could motivate employees to tackle individual responsibilities that were growing alongside the organizational expansion.

A new CEO joined the team and changed the motivational structure to one that aligned with the work of Elton Mayo and his “Hawthorne Experiments” (Shah & Shah). The CEO did not rely on pay and conditions to motivate. Instead, she attempted to draw employees even closer to the company’s goals and began to publicly recognize their individual efforts, which created a group attitude of confidence and belonging.

Within a year, the company experienced even more operational setbacks. The CEO had motivated employees psychologically and socially, but necessary tasks were not being accomplished. Enter yet another new CEO, who used authoritative mandates and a Theory X motivational style (Shah & Shah) that proved to be a radical change in the local working environment. This CEO successfully got the company back on track, but his lack of sensitivity and emotional intelligence caused employee morale to suffer tremendously. This model would not succeed in the long run so, once again, the CEO was replaced.

Our current CEO uses a motivational style that relies on the goal-setting theories of Edwin Locke (Shah & Shah). He has established clear employee goals and stresses the importance of achieving them. While this current motivational style is not creating the sense of belonging that once existed, it has improved morale that more recently had deteriorated so badly. Employees are gaining confidence in their abilities to accomplish tasks that result in a thriving overall operation.

I define motivation as “the belief that what you are doing needs to be done.” If you are willing to do something you obviously have motivation, which is based on various factors and individual situations. I believe that the most powerful motivational factor is fear. The protection motivation model discusses fear, pointing out that “as a result of some fear-inducing event, individuals will simultaneously evaluate the degree of threat posed by the event and their own personal ability to cope” (Welbourne, 1995), which results in motivation to change.

Anyone who has had a fearful experience can relate to its motivational power. People who have had their homes burglarized are quick to install security systems. A person who is sick will heed the advice of a physician and make a dramatic lifestyle change in hopes of living longer. Employees who are fearful of losing their jobs will tolerate an authoritative CEO, if only in the short-term, as I previously explained.

If I am to effectively lead in the 21st century I have to anticipate regular change and be able to analyze how it affects others so I can motivate them. That is easier said than done given globalization and cultural differences. But, studying different concepts and theories can help better prepare me to encourage others to “do what needs to be done.” I have a newfound interest in my own professional skills as they relate to motivation. There indeed is a method to my madness.


References

Shah, K. & Shah, P. (n.d.) Motivation. Retrieved July 10, 2007 from http://www.laynetworks.com/Motivation.html

Welbourne, T. (1995). Fear: The misunderstanding component of organizational transformation. Human Resources Planning, 18(1), 30-37.