Introduction

Motivation is the willingness to do something, conditioned on the action’s ability to satisfy some need for the individual. When supervisors see employees working hard, they can often conclude that the employee is driven by a desire to satisfy one or more needs.

High achievers are intrinsically motivated. If the task to which they are assigned stimulates their desire for achievement, they will be self-motivated and require little direct supervision. They like moderately challenging goals, and they like to get constant feedback on how they are doing, good or bad. They don’t like working in a group, preferring instead to take full responsibility for the success or failure of the project. The high achiever is a good candidate for entrepreneurial activities.

Initial Post

Answer the following questions:

• Discuss the actions a supervisor can take to maximize employee motivation.
• Which actions do you feel are the most effective at maximizing motivation?
• Include examples of how a supervisor can create an atmosphere in which employees really want to work.
• Explain how supervisors can design individual jobs to maximize employee performance.
• Give examples of ways to motivate and encourage employees to stay focused and promote job satisfaction. Which examples do you feel work best? Explain your rationale.

First and Second Reply Posts

In your responses to your instructor and peers, elaborate on the topics, share additional experiences, ideas, or research. Can some of these motivational techniques backfire and have unexpected consequences? Share why you think this.

This is a graded discussion. Please make your posts by the due date assigned. Refer to the discussion rubric for grading details.