Introduction

Motivation is the driving force which makes us want to do things willingly and well.

If we are not motivated, we do things grudgingly, half-heartedly, carelessly. We go through the motions because we know we have to do it, but we don't really care about the end result. If we are motivated, then we willingly expend time, energy, thought and resources to achieve the positive end result we desire. It's the difference between:

• approaching writing a report with dread and boredom before we've even started the job and producing the bare minimum and

• approaching writing a report with energy and enthusiasm, and producing a document which is well researched and logically presented.

  Building a high performance team depends, to a large extent, on:

• understanding what motivation is and how it works

• recognizing the motivators which each individual on the team responds to the best

• working out how you can apply the appropriate motivators to encourage someone to work willingly and well.

  There are many theories about motivation. In this section of the workbook we'll be examining the following three theories which seek to explain precisely what it is that motivates most people:

• Theory X and Theory Y

• Hygiene factors

• Hierarchy of needs.

McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y

Professor Douglas McGregor devised the...