Short In Theory X Management example essay topic

Intro Perhaps the single most important technique for motivating the people you supervise is to treat them the same way you wish to be treated: as responsible professionals. It sounds simple; just strike the right balance of respect, dignity, fairness, incentive, and guidance, and you will create a motivated, productive, satisfying, and secure work environment. Unfortunately, as soon as the complexities of our evolving workforce mix with human relationships, even the best-intentioned supervisors can find the management side of their jobs deteriorating into chaos. Theories As corporations strive to boost earnings in an increasingly competitive environment, they inevitably turn their attention to the issue of employee productivity and motivation. When employees are unsatisfied with their current work situation, productivity decreases, tension builds in the workplace, and morale becomes very low. Companies have known historically that morale affects productivity, yet management has struggled to come to terms with the factors that can create positive morale and an environment that attracts and retains workers and encourages them to produce.

For this reason, many companies look for training and practices that aim to achieve a higher level of employee motivation. Maslow's & Herzberg'sFor many years various motivation theories have made assumptions and offered explanations regarding human nature. However, no single motivation theory has proven to be the end all - be all - of motivation. In order to understand the various underlying themes related to motivation the following three theories have been identified - content, process and reinforcement. Content theories are primarily concerned with what arouses behavior or particular attributes that motivate individuals. The most prominent content theory of motivation is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg's Motivational-Hygiene Theory.

Maslow offered that human beings have their needs arranged in a hierarchy such that they are motivated to seek satisfaction of the lower levels of need first. Once that level of need is satisfied it is no longer a motivator, and the person is motivated by the next level up the hierarchy. From a managerial perspective money, status, achievement, working conditions, friendly supervisors and co-workers can satisfy these individual needs. Herzberg used this theory as a base to build his motivation-hygiene theory which ties Maslow's needs to on the job achievement. The hygiene elements relate to low needs (physiological, safety, and social).

For an individual, hygiene conditions include company policy and administration, supervision, relationships with peers and supervisors, work conditions, salary, status, and security. These, according to Herzberg account for 69% of the factors which cause employee dissatisfaction or lack of motivation. The motivation conditions, which include achievement, the job itself, recognition, responsibilities, and personal growth, accounted for 81% of the factors which contributed to job satisfaction. The hygiene conditions are extrinsic factors while the motivation conditions are intrinsic factors, and the only way to sustain motivation toward organizational goals is through the achievement of intrinsic outcomes. X, Y, Z Theorie sAn additional theory on human behavior, motivation, and management was developed in the late 1950's by McGregor. His theories X and Y and were based on assumptions made regarding the 'system' and individuals.

In short, in Theory X management organizes all elements of production, motivates and controls employee behavior to fit the needs of the organization, and without this intervention, employees would be indifferent to changing organizational needs. McGregor further assumes that managers believe that the average employee is by nature indolent and lazy, lacks ambition, is self-centered, and resistant to change 6. McGregor's alternative to Theory X was Theory Y. This theory made the assumptions that management has the responsibility for organizing the elements of production, people are not by nature passive, but become so as a result of experiences, management should enable employees to develop their motivational characteristics, and that it is essential for management to arrange organizational conditions in a manner where employees can achieve their own goals by directing their personal effort towards organizational objectives. Assumptions of theory Y are that work is as natural as play, self-direction and self-control are equally natural, and that motivation results from self-esteem and a sense of achievement; that most people seek responsibility. Theory Y also holds that imagination is present in most people and that organizations used only a tiny part of the intellectual capacity of their workforce. The contrast between X and Y solely relates to who controls human behavior.

Theory X touts external control, and Theory Y promotes self control and self direction 6. McGregor did not say that Y is right and X is wrong but was one of the first to argue for a situational approach to management. Adding to this analysis is W.J. Redd in who provided a third alternative, Theory Z. Theory Z is the effectiveness dimension that implies that managers who use either Theory X or Theory Y assumptions when dealing with people can be successful, depending on their situation. Techniques Planning: Planning involves a sense of strategic direction. What does the team need to do, in a global sense, to get to an established goal?

What constraints can be identified, and can each member of the team contribute? The key to effective management is how you involve your subordinates in the development of these action plans. Solicit input from all, and listen with an open mind. The people who actually do the work can provide you with invaluable insight into how to get the job done.

Negotiate a consensus, and then make certain everyone agrees on who will do what, by when. Once an action plan is adopted, make sure the team has the resources (e. g., funds, equipment, and human power) to execute those plans. Become a Teacher: The basis of being a good teacher is being a good role model. In addition, an effective participatory supervisor is the teacher who views any shortcoming as an opportunity for you to grow, someone who always focuses on your potential when he or she works with you.

Remember that to be an effective teacher you do not need to know everything your subordinates know. Rather, you must invest your energy in creating opportunities for your subordinates to become experts in their skill areas. Then, give them the chance to demonstrate their expertise. View teaching as your primary responsibility and as your subordinates grow, reward them; nurture their careers and professional growth in everyway possible. Delegate, Never Dump: The easiest way to become good at delegation is to surround yourself with subordinates whose abilities you respect and use them to the best of their capabilities. When people sense that you expect great things from them, they tend to be challenged by that expectation and work hard to live up to it.

Load your people with responsibility, provide them with the resources to do the job, and never be punitive when they make mistakes. Delegation crosses the line and becomes dumping when we delegate only the work we don't want to do ourselves; keep all the 'glorious' fun projects for ourselves; fail to provide adequate resources for our subordinates to complete their work; delegate all the responsibility and none of the authority for the job; or abandon our subordinates, failing to provide them with timing requirements, project guidelines, or our personal counsel when they need it. Encourage Independent Thinking: Consistently encourage your subordinates to come to you with problems and solutions. If they come to you only with the problem, it's your job to elicit their opinion for correcting the situation. Listen to their suggestions; draw them out. Help them to think the solution through.

Ask them a series of questions that encourage them and lead them to a workable solution. Such independent thinking demands your recognition that your solution to a problem is not the only solution; it may not even be the best solution. Give your subordinates the latitude to try new options, within reasonable limits, and your workers will start to develop their real potential. Build a Team: Similar to the teacher analogy, effective participatory managers strive to build cohesive teams, seeing themselves as the team's captain. The team captain inspires excellence and earns loyalty, serving as a role model to be admired, not feared. The most effective teams comprise members with diverse skills and personalities.

These are also the most difficult teams to manage. It can be frustrating work, but the rewards are tremendous when you watch the team become greater than the sum of its parts. In planning, you determined the goals of the team. To manage the team successfully, make sure everyone clearly understands his or her role in reaching those goals. Communicate the rules or norms for operating together.

For instance, a rule that many successful teams adopt is, 'When you have a problem with any team member, it is your responsibility to discuss the problem directly with that team member. If you approach another team member instead, you will immediately be referred to the team member who has caused you difficulty. ' As the team leader, it also becomes your responsibility to help integrate the individual personalities of team members. Encourage cooperation and coordination among members. This may occasionally mean sharing the perspective of one member with another to facilitate mutual understanding and respect. Listen: Many managers talk about being good listeners, yet this skill often remains an area in need of substantial improvement.

The benefits of good listening are numerous. Relationships improve, productivity and work performance are enhanced, team spirit is fostered, morale increases, and your staff gains better perspective and understanding of your mission as health care providers. Good listening skills engender trust. And trust is what separates effective participatory leaders from autocratic managers. If you " re listening effectively, the odds are that your subordinate is talking 80% of the time, and you " re talking only 20% of the time.

When you speak, you ask short, simple questions that draw the person out. What's more, you ask questions in a concerned, non-threatening style and tone. Good listeners let their subordinates vent when necessary and acknowledge their feelings. It is critical that the listener stay open and non-defensive, conveying genuine concern, no matter what the staff member says. Maintain the attitude that this person is your teammate and wants to improve things. Learn all you possibly can from your teammates so you are able to address their concerns effectively.

Demonstrating your concern by helping team members resolve problems to their satisfaction not only strengthens the unit, it also provides flexibility for you when problems that are beyond your control arise. Past successes build trust, so your teammates are much more likely to listen to you and be reasonable when a problem exceeds your authority. Set an Example: People rarely learn from what we tell them to do. More often they learn from example. If you have any doubts, go back to the discussion of autocratic managers and child abusers. Not only does the example you set dictate your success as a manager, but it teaches tomorrow's clinicians how to lead.

So set a good example. Start by living up to the rules you " ve already negotiated with team members. Treat each staff person with respect. Be kind and courteous.

Keep your cool in crisis situations. Your calm will be just as contagious as your panic and temper flare-ups. Keep your word - to the letter. Nothing undermines trust in a professional setting more precipitously than a manager who breaks his or her commitments. Accept Responsibility: Perhaps the most frightening aspect of management is that you " ve become responsible for someone else's performance. People do things their own way, and sometimes they make mistakes.

While your subordinates are responsible to you for their mistakes, you are responsible to your manager for those mistakes. Don't pass the blame down to your subordinates. It's your department; the buck stops with you. Your team respects your integrity and trusts you to lead. You become a champion, not an oppressor. Share the Spotlight: The flip side of accepting responsibility for everything that goes wrong is giving subordinates just credit for everything that goes right.

Never take credit for a subordinate's work, and mention names at every possible opportunity. Don't be afraid that this approach endangers your own career. You were made a supervisor because others in authority recognized your capabilities. The test of your value as a supervisor is your ability to create a productive, efficient team. Show management that working for you is the best thing that ever happened to your staff by drawing attention to each subordinate's excellent performance. If your team is performing at a high level, you won't need to blow your own horn - your value will be obvious.

Conclusion The face of business is evolving at a mind blowing pace. As the economy fluctuates and organizations seek ways to beat the competition and be profitable, nothing remains more important to this goal than keeping the employees and management motivated in the modern workforce.