Motivating Subordinates

Motivation as a subjective experience, is the readiness to act or behave in a particular way. People do what they do or behave the way they do, because it helps them to satisfy some of their needs and experience pleasure or it helps them to avoid thwarting of certain needs and consequent experience of displeasure. Under certain circumstances people act in such a way that they seek satisfaction of some of their needs (for example the staff listens to the boss whose arguments are logical and convincing). Under other circumstances, a person behaves in such a way that he avoids sources of personal dissatisfaction or failure. For example, an employee behaves properly on the job for fear of disciplinary actions towards him, in other words to avoid a situation in which he has to suffer punishment.

Motivating subordinates is an act on the part or superiors to energise the will and prompt action of their subordinates towards doing their job well. It is influencing their behavior so that they work as expected. The process of motivating subordinates is means to get the work done by them. In making the subordinates to do what their superior wants them to do, he can either force them, using his authority, or can create positive conditions for the satisfaction of their needs and get them to do the job willingly. His first approach is a negative “Motivation Approach” or “Punishment” or “Coercive” approach and his second approach is “Positive Motivation Approach “ or “Reward Approach” or “Persuasive Approach.” The first one creates conditions for the subordinates to avoid ‘potential punishment.’ The practice of administering “Rewards” (providing for need satisfaction) and administering “Punishments” together is known as “carrot and stick” style of management/ leadership.

Organisation tries to influence and control (tries to motivate) its employees by means of its personnel and welfare policies by providing proper work environment and through supportive supervision. The kinds