Motivation One of the most critical skills for effective leadership and management is the ability to motivate others. A motive is a need, desire, or other impulse that brings about an action. A motive is a need, desire, or other impulse that brings about an action. Motivation  refers to those wishes, desires, drives that stimulate or activate a man to do things.  is something that moves a person to action. It is largely based on individual needs and perception.  is an inner impulse or an internal force that initiates and directs the individual to act in a certain manner to satisfy a need.

The mechanism of motivation process The mechanism of motivation begins with need and ends with need satisfaction. A need  is lack or deficit of something within a system or a man. When a need is felt by an individual, it leads to a chain of activities. These activities and/or behaviour( always directed towards the goal to satisfy the need (goal- oriented behaviour( Figure 1. The motivation process activities and/or behaviour goal need

Factors affecting motivation Personal factors Work factors A. Personal factors: 1. Health status: Continues motivation requires physical and psychomotor energy. Thus, ill persons do not have this energy. 2. Self-concepts: A person’s perception of his/her capabilities influences that person’s motivational capacity. 3.Relationships: The quality and quantity of meaningful relationships can influence an individual’s motivation. 4. Financial status: Money is a powerful motivator. When a person’s income is insufficient to meet physiologic needs for food and shelter, performance generally declines. 5. Opportunities available: When the opportunity to learn and grow in the work situation is lacking, motivation is stifled. When people are presented with achievable challenge in their work, they are motivated to rise to the occasion. When the opportunity to learn and grow in the work situation is lacking, motivation is stifled. When people are presented with achievable challenge in their work, they are motivated to rise to the occasion.

Factors affecting motivation B. Work factors Leadership style: Using leadership style appropriate to specific situations and staff members’ experience levels is a positive motivaton Peer relationships: Dissatisfying peer relationships can result in job dissatisfaction and resignations. Dissatisfying peer relationships can result in job dissatisfaction and resignations. Organization: Departmental organization is another work setting that influence motivational level. Adequate staff members, sufficient equipment and available supplies affect motivation. Departmental organization is another work setting that influence motivational level. Adequate staff members, sufficient equipment and available supplies affect motivation. Agency organizational structures can also affect the motivational level of staff members, i.e. when the staff’s ideas and suggestions are never invited or always ignored, input diminishes. Agency organizational structures can also affect the motivational level of staff members, i.e. when the staff’s ideas and suggestions are never invited or always ignored, input diminishes.

Worker motivation : As mechanism of motivation begins with needs and ends with need satisfaction, it would be desirable if the type and nature of the needs are understood. There are various ways to classify needs, but one classification widely accepted is that advanced by Abraham Maslow who classifies human needs into five categories. Maslow suggests that all people begin in the lowest level of physiological needs, and until these are satisfied the person is not interested in other needs. In turn, as each level of human needs is met, the person turns his/her attention towards achieving his/her needs on the next higher level and so on up through the hierarchy of needs.

Maslow hierarchy of needs Inherent in Maslow’s hierarchy is the idea that needs on a lower level must be met before a person exhibits much interest on needs of a higher level. Thus, motivation for human action must be approached on the level where that person currently exists. Therefore, nurses must be adequately compensated to that they can meet their needs on level one and two before anyone can expect them to feel themselves as part of the health care team (level 3). Motivation then must be provided from the next highest level in the hierarchy. So, it is important to know where a worker stands in the hierarchy in order to motivate him/her correctly. Inherent in Maslow’s hierarchy is the idea that needs on a lower level must be met before a person exhibits much interest on needs of a higher level. Thus, motivation for human action must be approached on the level where that person currently exists. Therefore, nurses must be adequately compensated to that they can meet their needs on level one and two before anyone can expect them to feel themselves as part of the health care team (level 3). Motivation then must be provided from the next highest level in the hierarchy. So, it is important to know where a worker stands in the hierarchy in order to motivate him/her correctly.

Self actualization Self-esteem Social needs Safety & security Physiological needs Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Level (5) Level (4) Level (3) Level (2) Level (1) one’s own potentialities & continued self development Respect by others, by self, confidence, adequacy Love, acceptance, belongingness Need for safety and security, physical & psychological Basic needs; water, air, food, sex, etc.

It should be noted, however, that Maslow’s theory should not be considered as all or nothing. It is not necessary to satisfy a person’s physiological needs completely in order for him/her to become interested in and motivated by needs on the safety and security level. Rather, the satisfaction of the needs should be seen as existing in a decreasing percentage of unmet needs as the hierarchy is ascended. It should be noted, however, that Maslow’s theory should not be considered as all or nothing. It is not necessary to satisfy a person’s physiological needs completely in order for him/her to become interested in and motivated by needs on the safety and security level. Rather, the satisfaction of the needs should be seen as existing in a decreasing percentage of unmet needs as the hierarchy is ascended.

How nurse manager can motivate the subordinates???

Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Example: A director of nursing service might have her unmet needs existing as follows: Level (5)95% unmet Level (4)60% unmet Level (3)40% unmet Level (2)25% unmet Level (1) 5% unmet This means that attention to meeting her needs and reducing her frustration as well as motivating her towards desired organizational goals must be focused on the greatest areas of her unmet needs. Offering increased salary (level 1) to remain in her post will not motivate her enough as allowing her greater authority and enabling her to make greater contributions (level 5).

Types of organizational motivators The nurse manager can motivate the subordinates using one or more from the following organizational motivators: The nurse manager can motivate the subordinates using one or more from the following organizational motivators: Incentives: Which include all financial items rather than the employee's salary. E.g.: overtime, bonuses, grants…..etc. Incentives: Which include all financial items rather than the employee's salary. E.g.: overtime, bonuses, grants…..etc. Job rotation: Which means the movement of the employee to different jobs, usually for a temporary period, in order to inform, train, and/or stimulate the cooperation and understanding among the employees. Job enlargement: Which means increasing the number of tasks or the quantity of output required from the employee in his job.

Types of organizational motivators Job enrichment: Which is concerned with designing jobs with greater Variety of work content; a higher level of knowledge and skills, as well as providing the employee more autonomy and responsibility in this job. Delegation of authority: the accomplishment of goals is most effective when workers are given authority to make decisions. Competition: a manager can create an atmosphere of healthy competition among the subordinates through gaining status or social prestige. Participation: participation of employees in decision making and policy formulation has been widely recognized as an important organizational motivator.