Motivation and Leadership Essay

Introduction

Motivations essence consists of human’s needs and desires. If there is a need then eventually it will convert into a desire. Motivation theories were formed in the joint of 19th and 20th centuries and their founder was F.Taylor. This essay will define motivation at work and show if leadership is linked to understanding of motivation by looking through examples of today’s industry.

Motivation theories

Hierarchy of needs. One of the first scientists that researched human needs was Abraham Maslow. His Hierarchy of needs theory is one of the most common motivation theories. While creating his motivational theory Maslow admitted that humans have plenty of different demands, but he also thought that those demands can be connected into groups. Maslow from a whole abundance of human needs separated five, when the bottom needs are fulfilled then a human concerns about the upper one and it goes that way until he reaches the top.

Maslow’s hierarchy is a little bit wan toned. Besides that kind of needs line-up is not always stable. Sometimes people starve while demanding for political changes. However simple thought that while some sort of needs are not satisfied are stronger than others is important for motivation conception.

Another motivation based on needs was created by Frederic Hercberg and was called the Dual Factor theory. It was basically separated into two groups – Motivating factors: ‘’These contribute to job satisfaction and are related to the actual job itself’’ (BA Entertainment management lecture notes, 2006) and the Hygiene factors: ‘’Those that prevent someone from being dissatisfied but do not contribute to job satisfaction’’ (ibid)

Work motivation

Work motivation is linked with career stages. Often motivation vanishes when an employee reaches the middle of his career. A very important motivation element is impression which a person gets when he comes to work in a new place. The Impression can be positive or negative and it depends on...