Thursday, 4 March 2021

Individual Behaviour - Motivation & Personality (Management-1 04March 2021)

Individual Behaviour

 

Motivation

Motivation can be described as the internal force that impacts the direction, intensity, and endurance of a person’s voluntary choice of behaviour. It consists of −

Direction − focused by goals.

Intensity − bulk of effort allocated.

Persistence − amount of time taken for the effort to be exerted.

Example − A team leader encourages team members to work efficiently.

 

Features of Motivation

Motivation is an internal feeling, that is, it defines the psychological state of a person. It is a continuous process and we should make sure that it is not disturbed. A person should be encouraged completely.

Motivation consists of three interacting and dependent elements −

Needs − The requirements or deficiency which is created whenever there is physiological imbalance.

Drives − The various camps or events organized to motivate the employees and give them new opportunities.

Incentives − Employees need to be rewarded for their nice work in order to keep them encouraged.

 

Importance of Motivation

We need to motivate employees because of the following reasons −

1. Motivated employee is more quality oriented.

2. Highly motivated employees are more productive as compared to other employees.

3. It helps in achieving three behaviour dimensions of human resource namely

a) Candidates must be attracted not only to join but also remain in the firm.

b) Employees must perform task in a dependable manner.

c) Employees should be creative, spontaneous and innovative at work.

 

 

 

 

 

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory

This theory was produced in order to answer the question “What motivates an individual”. Every second need comes to force when the first need is satisfied completely.

 



Physiological Needs

Every individual needs to take care of the basic requirements required to sustain. These requirements include food to eat, clothing to wear and shelter to live in. These necessities are relatively independent of each other but are finite.

Food, water, shelter, sleep, excretion, etc.

 

Safety Needs

Everybody wants to stay in a protected environment with minimal danger so that they can have a peaceful life. Safety needs basically includes protection from physiological danger like accident and having economic security like bank accounts, health insurance

In an enterprise, it includes job security, salary increment, etc. The managerial practice to satisfy this involves offering pension scheme, provident fund, gratuity etc.

A sense of security of the self, job security, health security, safe environment, etc.

 

Social Needs

We have all heard that man is a social animal, we want to be there with those people where we are loved and we are accepted as we are; nobody wants to be judged. This is a common requirement every human desires.

This theory helps managers to think about encouraging their employees by identifying employee needs. In short, it presents motivation as constantly changing force, expressing itself to the constant need for fulfilment of new and higher levels of needs.

Strong bonds, love relationships.

 

Esteem

Esteem means the typical human desire to be accepted and valued by others. People often involve in a profession or hobby to gain recognition, earn fame and respect. According to Maslow, the needs of humans have strict guidelines - the hierarchies rather than being sharply separated, are interrelated. This means that esteem and the consequent levels are not strictly separated but are closely related.

Self-confidence, respect, good reputation, etc.

 

Self-Actualization

Self-actualization means realizing one’s full potential. Maslow describes this as a desire to complete everything that one can, to become the most that one can be.

Morality, spontaneity, and acceptance.

 

 

Personality

The word personality is derived from a Greek word “persona” which means “to speak through.” Personality is the combination of characteristics or qualities that forms a person’s unique identity. It signifies the role which a person plays in public. Every individual has a unique, personal and major determinant of his behaviour that defines his/her personality.

Personality trait is basically influenced by two major features −

1. Inherited characteristics

2. Learned characteristics

Inherited Characteristics

The features an individual acquires from their parents or forefathers, in other words the gifted features an individual possesses by birth is considered as inherited characteristics. It consists of the following features −

Colour of a person’s eye

Religion/Race of a person

Shape of the nose

Shape of earlobes

 

Learned Characteristics

Nobody learns everything by birth. First, our school is our home, then our society, followed by educational institutes. The characteristics an individual acquires by observing, practicing, and learning from others and the surroundings is known as learned characteristics.

Learned characteristics includes the following features −

Perception − Result of different senses like feeling, hearing etc.

Values − Influences perception of a situation, decision making process.

Personality − Patterns of thinking, feeling, understanding and behaving.

Attitude − Positive or negative attitude like expressing one’s thought.

 

Traits of Personality

Personality traits are the enduring features that define an individual’s behaviour. A personality trait is a unique feature in an individual. Psychologists resolved that there are five major personality traits and every individual can be categorized into at least one of them. These five personality traits are −

Extrovert

Neurotic

Open

Agreeable

Conscientious

 

Major Personality Attributes

Following are the five major personality attributes that influence OB −

Locus of Control

Locus of control is the centre of control of an individual’s code of conduct. People can be grouped into two categories i.e., internals and externals respectively.

People who consider themselves as the masters of their own fates are known as internals, while, those who affirm that their lives are controlled by outside forces known as externals.

Before making any decision, internals actively search for information, they are achievement driven, and want to command their environment. Thus, internals do well on jobs that craves complex information processing, taking initiative and independent action.

Externals, on the other hand, are more compliant, more willing to follow instructions, so, they do well in structured, routine jobs.

Machiavellianism

Machiavellianism is being practical, emotionally distant, and believing that ends justify means.

Machiavellians are always wanting to win and are great persuaders. Here are the significant features of a high-mach individuals −

High-Machs prefer precise interactions rather than beating about the bush.

High-Machs tend to improvise; they do not necessarily abide by rules and regulations all the time.

High-Machs get distracted by emotional details that are irrelevant to the outcome of a project.

Self-esteem

It is the extent up to which people either like or dislike themselves. Self-Esteem is directly related to the expectations of success and on-the-job satisfaction.

Individuals with high self-esteem think that they have what it takes to succeed. So, they take more challenges while selecting a job.

On the other hand, individuals with low self-esteem are more susceptible to external distractions. So, they are more likely to seek the approval of others and to adapt the beliefs and behaviours of those they respect.

Self-monitoring

Self-monitoring is the capability of regulating one’s behaviour according to social situations. Individuals with high self-monitoring skill easily adjust their behaviour according to external, situational factors. Their impulsive talents allow them to present public personae which are completely different from their private personalities.

However, people with low self-monitoring skills cannot cover themselves. Regardless of any situation, they are always themselves. They have an attitude of, “what you see is what you get.”

Risk taking

Generally, managers are reluctant on taking risks. However, individual risk-taking inclination affects the bulk of information required by the managers and how long it takes them to make decisions.

Thus, it is very important to recognize these differences and align risk-taking propensity with precise job demands that can make sense.


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