CONTINUATION FROM PREVIOUS LESSON
Topic: Continuation from previous lesson
represented by Adair’s ‘three circles’ diagram, which
illustrates Adair’s three core management
responsibilities:
achieving the task
managing the team or group
managing individuals
Responsibilities of a manager for achieving the task
are:
define the task -identify aims and objectives for the
group, purpose, and direction
identify and obtain resources, people, processes,
systems and tools
create the plan to achieve the task – deliverables,
measures, timescales, strategy and tactics
clarify responsibilities, objectives, accountabilities
and targets
set priorities ,standards, quality, time and reporting
parameters
control and maintain activities against parameters
monitor and maintain overall performance against
plan
report on progress towards the group’s aim
review, re-assess, adjust plan, methods and targets
as necessary
evaluate success
Responsibilities of a manager for the group are
establish, agree and communicate standards of
performance and behaviour
establish style, culture, approach of the group –
soft skill elements. Encourage suggestions
monitor and maintain discipline, ethics, integrity and
focus on objectives
anticipate and resolve group conflict, struggles or
disagreements, and grievances
assess and change as necessary the balance and
composition of the group
develop team-working, cooperation, morale and
team-spirit
develop the collective maturity and capability of the
group – progressively increase group freedom and
authority
encourage the team towards objectives and aims –
motivate the group and provide a collective sense of
purpose
identify, develop and agree team- and project-
leadership roles within group
enable, facilitate and ensure effective internal and
external group communications
identify and meet group training needs
give feedback to the group on overall progress;
consult with, and seek feedback and input from the
group
Responsibilities as a manager for each individual
are:
understand the team members as individuals –
personality, skills, strengths, needs, aims and fears
assist and support individuals – plans, problems,
challenges, highs and lows
identify and agree appropriate individual
responsibilities and objectives
give recognition and praise to individuals –
acknowledge effort and good work, feedback and
encourage.
where appropriate reward individuals with extra
responsibility, advancement and status
identify, develop and utilise each individual’s
capabilities and strengths
train and develop individual team members, review
performance
develop individual freedom and authority
Motivation
So how do management motivate staff? Let’s look at
some classic management theories.
One of the most important pieces of work for any
student of management is Maslow’s Hierarchy of
Needs.
Abraham Maslow developed the Hierarchy of Needs
model in the USA in 1940-50s.The theory remains valid
today for understanding human motivation, management
training, and personal development. His view is that
employers are responsible for providing a workplace
environment that encourages and enables employees to
fulfil their own unique potential.
Our most basic needs are instinctive, having evolved
over many thousands of years. Individuals have levels
of need which have to be satisfied in order, starting
from the bottom with Biological and moving up to Self-
actualisation .
The Hierarchy of Needs helps to explain how these
needs motivate us, and states that we must satisfy
each level of need in turn, starting with the one which
deals with the most obvious needs for survival itself.
Only once the lower order needs of physical and
emotional well-being are satisfied do we become
concerned with the higher order needs of influence and
personal development.
Conversely, if the things that satisfy our lower order
needs are taken away, we are no longer concerned
about the maintenance of our higher order needs.
The needs are defined as;-
1. Biological and Physiological needs – air, food,
drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep, etc.
2. Safety needs – protection from elements, security,
order, law, limits, stability, etc.
3. Social , Belongingness and Love needs – work group,
family, affection, relationships, etc.
4. Esteem needs – self-esteem, achievement, mastery,
independence, status, dominance, prestige,
managerial responsibility, etc.
5. Self-Actualization needs – realising personal
potential, self-fulfilment, seeking personal growth
and peak experiences.
So this would translate in business as:
You can’t expect people to respond well to an
enhanced benefits package, say offering them a better
office (level 4) when their basic financial compensation
is not enough to pay the family bills (level 1)
You can’t motivate someone to achieve a performance
target (level 4) when they’re having family problems
(level 3).
You can’t expect someone to be an effective team
member (level 3) when they have nowhere to live
because they fell behind with mortgage payments (level
2).
Maslow’s theory is a simple model, a guide which
requires some interpretation, but is extremely useful
and applicable for understanding, explaining and
managing human behaviour.
The basic interpretation of Maslow’s theory suggests
that that once a need is satisfied the person moves
onto the next, and to some extent this is correct. But it
must be borne in mind that people and motivation are
complex.
So while people do move up or down the hierarchy
depending on their current circumstances, most
people’s motivational mind set at any point will include
elements of all of the motivational drivers.
For example, self-actualizers (level 5) are still
motivated to eat (level 1) and socialise (level 3).
Homeless people whose main focus is feeding
themselves (level 1) and finding shelter for the night
(level 2) can also be concerned with social
relationships (level 3) and how their friends might
perceive them (level 4).
Maslow’s work and ideas extend beyond the Hierarchy
of Needs. His concept of self-actualisation still relates
to today’s employers and organisations .The challenge
they face is to provide real meaning, purpose and
personal development for their employees lives.
Maslow saw that even the most junior employees have
a basic human need and a right to strive for self-
actualisation, just as much as directors and owners do.
Today’s successful organisations and employers are
those who genuinely care about their employee’s
personal growth towards self-actualisation and who
encourage and enable them.
They understand that sustainable success is built on a
serious commitment to helping people identify, pursue
and reach their personal potential. And that when they
achieve their potential, or grow towards it, they become
more effective and valuable as employees.
They recognise that personal growth, whether through a
hobby, or special talent, or a new experience, produces
new transferable skills and attributes, that can be
useful in their work.
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