My respect for Peter Drucker will be obvious to anyone who has read this book. I, along with many others, think he is the most important writer on management science that has ever lived. Therefore, it was with some trepidation that I stared to write this section because Drucker said:
We know nothing about motivation. All we can do is write books about it.
Peter Drucker
Now, I agree with Drucker. I’m not even sure if all motivation is innate and that what we call motivation by managers simply influences the flow of motivation within a person or group rather than creates it. (There are several potential PhDs in that last sentence and, no, I’m not in the market to do one.)
What follows is an attempt to catch a glimpse of this slippery concept from different angles. The section is structured as follows. Quotation/s:
- 43 deals with how in many (most?) organisations, management institutionally treats adults like children.
- 44 and 45 explore how people need their work to be meaningful.
- 46 and 47 consider how self-motivation can be encouraged by managers.
- 48 suggests that, as in so much else, a kind word can have a huge impact on a person’s motivation.
As you read this section, consider which approaches to motivation you currently use and which you would feel comfortable using in the future.