What's Your Motivation?

  

Careers move through a hierarchy of levels within our lifetime.  We can apply Maslow's Hierarchy of needs to the needs of employees when working for an organization.  If we look at the motivation in our career we must have our needs meet to move into different stages of development in our careers.  These levels can move up and down the spectrum depending on were we are in our careers.

Physiological Needs - A need to have food, clothing and Shelter is necessary first and foremost before looking for anything else in a career.  If an organization does not meet these needs the retention of employees will be difficult to maintain.

Safety Needs - We must feel secure in the position and safe within the environment that the organization creates.  Managers and leaders have a tremendous amount of influence in creating an environment that is productive and promotes this feeling of safety for the employee

Belonging & Love Needs - This is where a cohesive team is essential to the retention.  If the team is not cohesive many people will move on to another organization that will give them this requirement for development.  Many organizations have lost valuable people without a feeling of belonging

Esteem Needs - In this part of career progression people are now looking respect, recognition and achievement.  This is where people will be looking for promotion and a need to move up the corporate ladder. If there is not the opportunity to progress in their career they could potential leave the organization

Self Actualization - This level is leaders are made.  When this level is achieved the person is a problem solver has a high level of emotional intelligence and has a high level of morality

  

When looking at career progression look to meet each of the specific needs to create a sense of leadership. Organizations that are willing to provide these needs will retain the top performers and become leaders in their industry.  When looking at our careers we should look for these needs to be met to reach our full potential in our careers.

Leadership To Create Effective Team Growth

The Concept of Bruce Tuckman’s Stages of a Team’s life cycle are that all teams must go through a process of forming, storming, norming and performing to reach the level of performance necessary for success. Forming is the point in which the team is working as individuals and moving in different directions.  At this point there is not the formation of a team.  We have all been in this point when joining a team we are not sure of our position or our place in the group yet.  In the storming point in forming a teaming, turbulence and strife exist.  This is the point that leadership is necessary to move a team into the next stage.  Without a leader that is an effective transitional leader then the team will not move on to the next level.  Transitional in the sense that they can listen to and empathy with the members of the team but still directs them into the roles necessary to perform the task at hand.  Norming is creating the standards necessary for everyone to perform their roles effectively and efficiently.  Performing is the final self-actualization of the group where they move in a productive team able to work through issues and problems to produce effective results.

Just as Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Tuckmans Team’s Life Cycle moves through progressions and can become fixated at certain points in its development. I believe that there are many factors that go into the dynamic of group development within an organization. I would agree that with proper facilitation a team can move through all of the stages of the life cycle. “The dramatic shift to team based work systems and the emphasis on building member capabilities places a spotlight on the critical role of team leaders.  Team leaders are arguably the key pin for developing team member capabilities” (Likert, 1961) The leader can make a dramatic difference in how the team progresses.

I have been in several team environments that have gone through several of the stages of team development.  Many of these groups, as Tuckman described, did not go beyond a certain stage.  One of these groups in particular was in a constant state of storming.  This was due to the lack of leadership and guidance.  The team was in constant turmoil because of the lack of leadership and the struggle for power within the group.  I would also agree that the maturity of the team members is an important part of the turmoil.  I have also worked in groups that are moved through to self-actualization or performing.  This was due to the leadership and maturity of the group.

Companies need to understand the power of teams. Organizational team leaders need to be nurtured and equipped to build teamwork and team efficiency. Teams can also be a source of power conflicts and bad politics.  Hence, a vigilant eye must be maintained on teams to ensure that there is no power play or interdepartmental politics. While a healthy competition is required to keep all teams on their toes; it is essential that competition is a positive motivating

factor” (Parker 1996).

In conclusion Leadership is an important part of this progression through the stages and must be maintained to create an effective team.