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Leadership at my current organization struggles with both motivating and fully engaging employees. Leadership is “the use of power and influence to direct the activities of the followers to goal achievement” (Colquitt, LePine, & Wesson, 2021, p. 432). As a marketing agency, the measurement of success for both leaders and followers in the organization is client satisfaction because of a positive return on investment and enjoyable client experience. Motivation and employee engagement within the context of organizational performance is extremely important and leaders must provide recommendations to overcome these challenges such as those in my current organization.
Core Issues
Core Issues
As a leader in a creative agency, I've observed that the core issue of the leadership challenge at my current organization stems from a lack of understanding of the needs that drive individuals to action and a failure to create rewards that effectively encourage desired behaviors.
Motivation, as defined by Daft (2017), encompasses "forces either internal or external to a person that arouse enthusiasm and persistence to pursue a certain course of action" (p. 228).
Motivation, as defined by Daft (2017), encompasses "forces either internal or external to a person that arouse enthusiasm and persistence to pursue a certain course of action" (p. 228).
To foster a highly motivated workforce, companies must delve into understanding the types of needs that motivate individuals and then design rewards that effectively encourage more of that desired behavior.
The mindset at my organization has been that if you want people to perform better, you simply give them a bigger reward. While this approach may hold some merit for simpler tasks, it proves ineffective for conceptual and creative cognitive thinking, which requires a different approach. As Ta (2016) aptly points out, performance-based rewarding can have detrimental effects, "destroying motivation, diminishing performance, crushing creativity, and crowding out good behavior, and encouraging short-term thinking."
Engaged employees should actively "seek information concerning what activities are rewarded, and then seek to do (or at least pretend to do) those things" (Kerr, 1995, p. 769). It is in the act of doing that engagement becomes evident, and the lack of engagement by both leaders and followers alike contributes to the problem.
Leadership Recommendations
Leadership Recommendations
To enhance employee engagement and performance, leadership should shift the focus away from monetary rewards and instead prioritize "autonomy, mastery, and purpose" (Ta, 2016). As leaders define objectives, it is their responsibility to empower employees to feel in control of their work and their destinies. To maintain engagement, leaders should establish a reward system that aligns with the aspirations of both lower-level and upper-level employees, recognizing and rewarding positive performance and adherence to expectations.
I recommend that leaders assess the complexity of their employees' tasks and determine the appropriate type of reward accordingly. The management team should foster an environment where individuals are empowered to find solutions by acknowledging the challenges they face and providing guidance on the 'why' behind the tasks. Effective implementation of this approach hinges on a solid understanding of the company's core values, ensuring that behaviors aimed at achieving solutions are aligned with the organization's commitment to principles, competencies, and personal attitudes (Dahlgaard-Park, 2012). Leaders should prioritize rewarding employees who are making the most significant contributions for the purpose of motivation and engagement, recognizing that there are motivators beyond monetary compensation. These motivators include fair treatment, which necessitates maintaining equity within the workplace and cultivating a climate of mutual respect (Betchoo, 2021).
Conventional management focuses on addressing lower-level basic needs and relies on extrinsic motivators and punishments to drive employee performance. Leaders should instead acknowledge the diversity of employee needs and act as leaders who do not operate with a 'carrot-and-stick' approach (Daft, 2017).
Analysis and Best Practices
Analysis and Best Practices
Working at an agency with multiple departments, I've realized that our company relies heavily on teams and individual creatives to be self-directed. This means that leaders must have a deep understanding of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to effectively motivate and engage team members, as Jungert et al. (2018) emphasize. To foster a more motivated and engaged workforce, I believe that leaders within our organization should first assess their own motivation styles. This self-awareness will guide them in hiring individuals whose drive aligns with the measurable results we aim to achieve. Through this understanding and resourcing, we can train employees effectively and ensure alignment between expectations and rewards.
The approach to motivation should encompass both extrinsic and intrinsic factors. An extrinsic positive approach that provides rewards can be complemented by an intrinsic positive approach that cultivates a sense of joy and accomplishment among employees. It is crucial to share the company's vision consistently to achieve buy-in and foster an open-door policy where employees feel empowered to participate in strategic decisions, as Daft (2017) suggests. This approach to addressing the lack of motivation and engagement is rooted in inclusivity, recognition, and a deep understanding of our team members. Ultimately, the goal for leaders should be to create a self-managed company that "defines mission and goals and defines tasks and processes" (Daft, 2017, p. 247) with a high degree of participation and high outcome. As a product of these behaviors, the company should experience engaged employees where "people enjoy their jobs and are satisfied with their work conditions" (Daft, 2017, p. 248).
If these conditions are met, our leaders will have a successful company that not only produces positive results but also boasts a highly motivated and engaged workforce. I am confident that our current leaders have the ability to help us understand the "why" behind our company and empower employees to create a better future for themselves and the organization.
References:
Betchoo, N. K. (2023). Managing workplace diversity: A contemporary context. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Colquitt, J. A., LePine, J. A., & Wesson, M. J. (2021). Organizational behavior: Improving performance and commitment in the workplace (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Dahlgaard-Park, S. (2012). Core values - the entrance to human satisfaction and commitment. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 23(2), 125-140.
Daft, R. L. (2017). The leadership experience (7th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Jungert, T., Van den Broeck, A., Schreurs, B., & Osterman, U. (2018). How Colleagues Can Support Each Other's Needs and Motivation: An Intervention on Employee Work Motivation. Applied Psychology, 67(1), 3-29.
Kerr, S. (1975). On the Folly of Rewarding A, While Hoping for B. Academy of Management Journal, 18(4), 769-783.
Ta, D. (2016, February 24). How to create motivation at work - Daniel H. Pink - Book recommendations [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNRNPTsBFfg
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