Creating a Motivating Environment in the Workplace Research Paper

Creating a Motivating Environment in the Workplace - Research Paper Example Understanding what drives positive attitudes, energies and dedication to meeting organizational goals is at the very foundation of motivation and consists of personality, fear responses, and personal demand for empowerment in key environments. The method of creating a more motivational environment depends on the individualist values held by the employee related to these ideas or emotions. Understanding the psychology Wang & Erdheim (2007, pp.1494) describe the elements of the big five personality traits that include neuroticism, agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness and openness to new experiences. Sociability is measured in extraversion, emotional stability is associated with neuroticism, conscientiousness supported by concepts of goal-attainment and dependability (Wang & Erdheim). Each concept is associated with internal dynamics of personality that relate to whether or not an individual adjusts effectively or is responsive to external stimuli. Herzberg (1968, p.2) describes motivation from the perception of a pet and its master. â€Å"The dog wants the biscuit, but it is I who want it to move. I am the one who is motivated, and the dog is the one who moves†. Herzberg describes motivations in terms of incentives or promotions as a means to drive productivity, however the responses that are formulated against this extrinsic reward style are borne of personality factors and indivi dual beliefs associated with reward. Of the big five personality dimensions offered, agreeableness is represented by â€Å"emotional support needs, caring, and nurturance† (Erdheim & Wang, p.1495). This is why externally-driven incentive rewards inspire higher levels of performance as they build on self-confidence and other foundational needs associated with security and belonging. The consequences or outcomes of this motivation are unique depending on the ambitions or goals of the organizational environment or leadership. According to Margaret Wheatley (1997, p.1), â€Å"organizations of all kinds are cluttered with control mechanisms that paralyze employees and leaders alike†¦these mechanisms seem to derive from our fear (or) our fear of one another†. Control systems are associated with typical models of management such as the Theory X management style that believes individuals need to be motivated with a strong voice or a harsh hand. Though regulated by certain government restrictions on control behavior, authoritarian posturing achieves results. The question is not whether it is derived from extrinsically-driven incentives or motivations, it is whether or not the employee is responsive based on their individual needs or personality structures. A manager with high levels of controls exhibits a sense of fear that is associated with loss (or fear of loss) such as formal reprimands for losing one’s position and therefore prompts new actions after rationalizing the impact on lifestyle. When a manager is able to control others through stricter policies and activities, there is no sense of empowerment or the production of a mutually-rewarding cultural or job-related environment. â€Å"Psychologically empowered workers are necessary to maintain the experiential process of learning and innovation† (Doll, 2010, p.54). So, there is a disparity between different management