MOTIVATION
AND DETERMINATION
INTRODUCTION
Human
behaviour is a complex phenomenon, which needs to be taped and canalized
properly for the development of any organization. To ensure positive contribution and
involvement of human resources of any organization, society or state towards
its desired aims, its people must be motivated and determined enough to do
so. Motivation which can be said to be
“inner will to do” something, forms a base of the willingness of a person to
perform in the desired direction, be it for self goal or for organizational
goal. Thereafter his determination to
put in efforts to achieve these goals further compliments the desired
behavioural response of the person. A
leader is not only required to possess these qualities himself but need to
motivate his subordinates also.
Motivation
Motivation
is the desire or want that energies and directs goal oriented behaviour. Motives are basically the “why of
behaviour”. These are our needs, wants,
desires, devices or impulses. Motivation
is directed to work – goals. Whatever we
do speaks the strength of our motives.
The difference between need and motive is – ‘motive’ has a wider scope
than ‘need’.
Determination
It is
the fixedness of purpose and putting sustained effort to achieve an objective
in spite of diversions and obstacles.
Aspiring for a high aim and thereafter putting up sustained effort to
achieve results indicates determination of a person. It involves application to work and drive,
mental concentration and strength of
will power. Level of motivation and
aspirations also indicates the degree of determination. The drive which is nothing but the inner
motivating power at the disposal of an individual and capacity to force oneself
along when under pressure and achieve the goal, interrelate both motivation and
determination of an individual.
Importance
of Motivation and Determination.
Different
people may have different level of motivation and determination depending upon
so many tangible and intangible factors.
The most visible factor to rate an individual on scale of motivation
could be his performance towards goals and his manner or conduct. When the same scale is translated to
organization as a whole, it gives not only the motivational level of persons
involved but their collective motivational levels as well. The leader, of course, plays the most
important role in canalizing the energy for enhancing the collective motivation
and determination level of his group/subordinates. Human behaviour and motivation are
inseparable.
An individual with higher
motivational level should always be more responsible, better behaved, well
focused and full of energy to contribute his best towards the desired
goals. This motivation level shall
accordingly canalized the behavioural response of persons. A good leader is the one who will not only be
motivated enough but who applies himself practically to motivate his team in
focusing their attention and energy level toward achievement of goal till it is
achieved. Thus a combination of higher
motivation level and determination shall certainly be the factors for success
in achievement of any goal. To draw an
analogy one can recall any sports event not only at international level but
also even at college level where in one would have realized that a less
talented team with better motivation and determination has been the
winner. Good motivation and determination
shall not only energies a person but shall also infuse him with willing spirit
to put in his best till the last till the aim is achieved.
THEORIES
OF MOTIVATION
Various
theories over the years have been propagated by various psychologists to
explain the process of motivation. The
essence of all these theories indicate that different people have different
needs and motives and also the different level of motivation at different
times. The basic fact can’t be denied
that for a person to be motivated, his basic needs and desires should be
met. A hungry person will get motivated
if he is promised two meals, a person without shelter shall be motivated enough
to work if he is provided shelter.
Similarly, is a person is satisfied for his basic needs, his next
ambition would be fulfillment of his higher level needs. The level of needs can be classified as
under:
(a) Psychological needs - It covers the
basic human needs of hunger, thirst and sleep etc. Unless these needs are met, one can’t be
motivated.
(b) Safety needs - These are the
needs to be free of physical danger and deprivation of the psychological
needs. Since a man doesn’t only think of
the present but also of the future, he requires security for his psychological
needs.
(c) Social needs - These are
needs of an individual to belong to a group, be accepted by the group and be
part of social activities of the group.
Once his psychological and safety needs are met, he looks forward to
fulfillment of social needs.
(d) Esteem needs - Next
level of needs for a man is esteem ie.self respect , status and
recognition. The satisfaction of these
needs produces self confidence, prestige, power and control.
(e) Self actualization - Once
the esteem needs are adequately satisfied, the self actualization needs become
strong to direct the individuals behaviour.
This need is the desire to become what one thinks himself to be capable
of.
Thus
it is evident that for different persons, motivational factors will be
different and also that for individuals at different stages, motivational
stimuli shall change as per his needs and motives. These needs can also be termed as basic
necessities, financial benefits or rewards and intellectual satisfaction of the
person at different levels.
SELF MOTIVATION
Self
motivation is very important because a leader must motivate himself before he
can attempt to motivate others. It is
intangible force which drives one to conquer the seemingly unattainable
objectives. It is the sustaining power
in the performance of uninspiring and tedious tasks. We must overcome a certain amount of neutral
inertia, inherent in us. Self Motivation
helps you to overcome the most common deterrents to human action ie. the ‘tired
feeling’ at very crucial moments. As a
self motivated leader, one has to be vigilant enough to know the motivational
levels of his subordinates and methods to improve their motivational
levels. Leaders must be innovative
enough to identify their own goals with the organizational goal, thus ensuring
that fulfillment of organizational goal would automatically result in meeting
their own needs. A constant and timely
appreciation, appraisal, counseling and guidance by the leader goes a long way
in maintaining constant level of self motivation in his subordinates. Leader needs to set realistic objectives and
goals for himself and his subordinates which should be changed from time to
time so as to direct efforts meaningfully and purposefully. This is an important aspect of self
motivation for both the leader and his team.
A self
motivated person will have a positive out look to meet any challenges and shall
be able to achieve his goals by a determined effort overcoming all the
difficulties. Self motivated person is
generally a willing worker, looking for higher responsibilities and puts in
determined and dedicated efforts to achieve ones goals. Determination is a major factor in
maintaining the ‘Self Motivation’ of individuals or a team. A determined person will be directed by his
inner drive to continue despite various hurdles and obstacles and thus achieve
his goals. A self motivated and
determined person is likely to make a good and successful leader.
CONCLUSION
There
are numerous factors that contribute towards the ‘motivational level’ of an
individual and ‘motivational strategies’ of an effective leader. But each person or group of persons will have
different needs and motives and thus need to be motivated in a manner as
appropriate. A leader has to be
versatile enough to know his team and motivate them. Only a well motivated and determined team
will achieve its goal.
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Regards
HoslaB.A, M.A (Psychology)
Specialist of SSB GTO Tasks
Mob: 9541185701, 7015202663, 9034228060
Ambala Cantt, Haryana
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