Motivating Groups Although small group communication is an absolute prerequisite for group success, it does not guarantee the achievement of a common goal or that member needs and expectations will be satisfied Motivation is necessary for successful group performance Look at interrelatedness of motivation, assessment, and rewards Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Language of Motivation Motivation: Reasons a person or group is moved to do something Extrinsic: Motivation that comes from outside ourselves—can be positive or negative Intrinsic: Motivation that comes from within ourselves—depends on finding a personal, self-satisfying reason Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Language of Motivation Assessment: Requires reviewing, measuring, and evaluating what a person or group does When you are intrinsically motivated, you are the only one who can assess your progress and performance When you are extrinsically motivated, others make judgments about you and your work Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Language of Motivation (cont.) Rewards: Recognize and compensate us for work well done Rewards can be extrinsic or intrinsic The prospect of receiving a reward can motivate. However, the reward is a hope, not a guarantee. The reward only comes when we progress toward or achieve a goal Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Group Motivation Group motivation provides the inspiration, incentive, and/or reason for group members to work together in pursuit of a shared goal Group success depends on a unified commitment by all group members Taking the time and effort to ensure that a group is highly motivated can spell the difference between success and failure Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Group Motivation (cont.) Motivating individual members Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Needs can be divided into two categories Satisfiers (deficiency needs): Physiological and Safety needs Motivators (fulfillment needs): Belongingness, Esteem, and Self-Actualization needs Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Group Motivation (cont.) Motivating individual members Schutz’s Theory of Interpersonal Behavior describes three interpersonal needs Need for inclusion Need for control Need for affection Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Group Motivation (cont.) Schutz’s Theory of Interpersonal Behavior Groups can satisfy individual needs By identifying individual needs, a group can motivate individual members Suggests that inclusion, control, and affection can be integrated into the atmosphere needed for effective group work—brainstorming sessions should be high-inclusion, low-control atmosphere Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Group Motivation (cont.) Myers-Briggs Personality Types Each personality type responds to different motivators Understanding the different personality types in a group can help you choose the most appropriate motivation strategies Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Group Motivation (cont.) Motivating the group: Four categories of intrinsic motivators Sense of meaningfulness Sense of choice Sense of competence Sense of progress Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Group Motivation (cont.) Dealing with apathy Apathy is the indifference that occurs when members do not find the group or its goal important, interesting, or inspiring Intrinsic motivators are minimal or missing Personal needs and expectations are not being met Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Group Motivation (cont.) Apathy Must correctly diagnose cause of apathy to find cure If a group goal does not meet member expectations, reexamine goal Assign appropriate tasks to group members to increase commitment to and involvement in the group Confront head-on Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Motivation and Assessment Assessment represents a mechanism for monitoring group progress and a way of determining if a group has achieved it goals Assessment instruments can help determine how well a group is progressing toward its goal and whether interpersonal or procedural problems are impeding its effectiveness Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Motivation and Assessment (cont.) Role of constructive feedback Group and member motivation increases productivity when the goal is shared and the group receives feedback about its progress Feedback isn’t the final score on an assessment instrument, but direct and positive communication with group members Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Motivation and Assessment (cont.) Role of Constructive Feedback As an intrinsic motivator, positive feedback serves two purposes—it encourages groups and provides evidence of their progress Feedback is controlling (suggesting positive or negative outcomes bases on goal achievement) or informative (to what extent the goal is being achieved) Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Motivation and Assessment (cont.) Sometimes positive feedback fails to motivate or correct a problem Reprimands are not punishment; they are a form of feedback that identifies problems or deficiencies Reprimands should follow the guidelines for constructive feedback. Comments should be informative and phrased as “It” statements, fair and impersonal Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Motivation and Assessment (cont.) Rewards and motivation are not the same A reward is given or received in recompense for some well done task or worthy behavior The prospect of receiving a reward can motivate individual group members and the group as a whole, but motivation may have little or nothing to do with external rewards Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Motivation and Rewards Extrinsic rewards come from the external environment…points, etc. In some cases, extrinsic rewards can decrease group motivation and increase resentment toward the task Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Motivation and Rewards (cont.) Intrinsic rewards are anything that is satisfying and energizing in itself Common reasons cited for leaving a group may have nothing to do with the reasons individuals mention, rather it may be the lack of praise and recognition which are understood as affection Must develop a balanced approach that rewards the group as a whole without neglecting the achievements and efforts of individuals Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Motivation and Rewards (cont.) Establish reward criteria Effective rewards reflect well-conceived, objective criteria Four criteria Fair Equitable Competitive Appropriate Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Motivation and Rewards (cont.) Select effective rewards The reward that satisfies one group member or group may be meaningless to another Three forms of rewards Personal recognition Affection Material compensation Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Motivation and Rewards (cont.) The role of punishment Punishment does not motivate! When group members are punished (denied advancement, recognition, resources, etc.), they may spend more of their energy complaining, getting even, pursuing other interests, or even sabotaging the work Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Motivation and Rewards (cont.) The role of punishment If punishment is to be used, it must be Predictable (everyone knows the rules or expectations) Immediate (as soon as possible after violation) Consistent (applied equally to all), and Impersonal Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.