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Discussion Question #5: Why do you think making progress in meaningful work ranks as the
most important factor contributing to motivation according to a recent study? How might
leaders provide a sense of progress for employees working on long-range projects that might not
show results for months or even years?
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B. Building a Thriving Workforce
A thriving workforce is the idea that people are not just satisfied and productive but also
engaged in creating the future—their own and that of the organization. Two components of
thriving individuals are vitality and learning. A thriving employee is one who feels alive,
Discussion Question #3: How might empowerment provide the two conditions (vitality and
learning) for a thriving workforce as described in the chapter? Consider both psychological
factors and the job characteristics model in your answer.
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Discussion Questions
1. Describe the kinds of needs that people bring to an organization. How might a person’s
personality characteristics such as introversion/extroversion or openness to experience, as
described in Chapter 4, influence the needs he or she brings to work?
Students’ answers will vary. Humans are motivated by multiple needs which exist in a
hierarchical order wherein higher needs cannot be satisfied until the lower needs are met.
Maslow named five categories of needs: physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem, and
2. With the economy still in a slump, some companies are freezing pay raises or even cutting
pay for some employees so they can offer substantial raises to people considered star
performers. As a motivational technique, does this practice seem like a good one to you?
What might be some disadvantages of this technique?
Students’ answers will vary. The reinforcement perspective proposes that behavior can be
modified by the use of rewards and punishments. Carrot-and-stick methods of motivation
focus primarily on extrinsic rewards (raises) and punishments (pay cuts). Research shows
3. How might empowerment provide the two conditions (vitality and learning) for a thriving
workforce as described in the chapter? Consider both psychological factors and the job
characteristics model in your answer.
Students’ answers will vary. Two components of thriving individuals are vitality and
learning. A thriving employee is one who feels alive, energized, and passionate about what
he or she is doing. The individual has a sense that his or her work has purpose and
meaning. In addition, a thriving employee is one who is learning and growing, developing
4. Google wants employees to mingle more but not to waste a lot of time. So as part of its
“people strategy,” Google analyzes reams of data to determine the optimal size and shape
for the cafeteria tables and the best length for the lunch line. If hygiene factors, as defined
in Herzberg’s two-factor theory, will not provide increased satisfaction and motivation,
why do you think Google would try to increase lunchtime mingling? Discuss.
Students’ answers will vary. Hygiene factors involve the presence or absence of adequate
working conditions, pay, company policies or interpersonal relationships. When hygiene
5. Why do you think making progress in meaningful work ranks as the most important factor
contributing to motivation according to a recent study? How might leaders provide a sense
of progress for employees working on long-range projects that might not show results for
months or even years?
Students’ answers will vary. Recent research points to the importance of making progress
toward goals as a key to high motivation. According to the making progress principle, the
6. One small business owner says she doesn’t offer her sales representatives incentives
because people try to sabotage one another to get more business and stop paying attention
to smaller accounts. As a leader, how would you develop a program to motivate and
reward high performers without promoting the wrong type of behavior?
7. Can you think of specific motivational techniques that would motivate you in each of the
four categories in Exhibit 8.3 (positive extrinsic, positive intrinsic, negative extrinsic,
negative intrinsic)? Describe them.
8. Do you agree that it is the behavior of leaders that largely determines employee
engagement, as defined in the text? What might be some other factors that influence
engagement?
Students’ answers will vary. Most of them may agree that leaders create the environment
that determines employee engagement. It is the behavior of leaders that makes the biggest
9. Discuss whether you believe it is a leader’s responsibility to help people find meaning in
their work? How might leaders do this for employees at a credit card call center? How
about for employees who empty waste containers and clean restrooms at sports or
entertainment venues?
Students’ answers will vary. One way people get intrinsic rewards at work is to feel a deep
sense of importance and meaningfulness, such as people who work for a social cause or
mission. Good leaders channel employee motivation by tapping into each person’s talents,
10. As part of the federal health-care overhaul in the United States, patient satisfaction survey
scores are now used to help determine how much the federal government will pay medical
facilities for treating patients on Medicare. What motivation theory described in the
chapter does this example illustrate? Do you think this approach will motivate employees
to provide better care? What might be some potential problems with this approach?
Students’ answers will vary. The scenario describes the “carrot-and-stick approach” which
states that when behavior that produces a desired outcome is rewarded with a “carrot,”
such as a pay raise or promotion. Conversely, undesirable or unproductive behavior brings
TEACHING TOOLS AND EXERCISES
1. Leader’s Bookshelf: Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H.
Pink
2. Small Group Activity: Read Fortune magazine’s annual list of “100 Best Companies to
Work For.”
Companies that rank high are ones that show genuine caring for employees, enabling them
to feel like important members of a community. Which companies are in the top 10? Why
are these companies more than just a place to work? Discuss these companies in small
groups.
3. Read and Discuss: Nitin Nohria, Boris Groyberg, Linda-Eling Lee, “Employee
Motivation: A Powerful New Model,” Harvard Business Review (July 01, 2008)
Motivating employees begins with recognizing that to do their best work, people must be in an
environment that meets their basic emotional drives to acquire, bond, comprehend, and defend.
So say Nohria and Groysberg, of Harvard Business School, and Lee, of the Center for Research
4. Discussion: Acquired Needs Theory on the Job
5. Leadership at Work: Should, Need, Like, Love
• Think of a school or work task that you feel an obligation or commitment to complete,
but you don't really want to do it. Write the task.
• Think of a school or work task you do because you need to, perhaps to get the benefit,
In Class: The instructor can have students talk in small groups about their percentages and
what the percentages mean to them. Students can be asked how the categories of should,
need, like, and love relate to the theories of motivation in the chapter. Do leaders have an
obligation to guide employees toward tasks they like and love, or is it sufficient at work for
people to perform need and should tasks?
The instructor can write student percentages on the board so students can see where they
stand compared to the class. Students can be asked to interpret the results in terms of the
amount of satisfaction they receive from various tasks. Also, are the percentages related to
the students’ stage of life?
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: CASES FOR ANALYSIS
I. Commissions for Charlotte
Synopsis
Doris Ann Riley, the head of HR for King Conductors, was amused by the conversation drifting
over the planter that separated the two booths in the employee cafeteria. She recognized the
voices on the other side as those of Pete Morris, Carter Henry, and Rachael Parker. The three
were involved in a heated discussion about the opening of the NFL season one week away and
the continued hold-out of the local team’s star quarterback.
“Her sales are a huge percentage and she’s made a tremendous difference in the year since her
arrival. She really is worth the trouble,” Doris Ann told company vice president Charles
Owenby. “But she has come to me to suggest raising her commission—substantially—and I just
don’t know. But I think you and I and Wylie and Jim need to discuss this.” “Knowing she can
always move over to Martin,” Charles added. “There’s a risk either way, so we have to explore
our options before we bring all of the parties together to hash this thing out.”
Case questions and answers
1. What theories of motivation help explain Charlotte’s demands and the reactions of other
employees to those demands?
Students’ answers will vary. Charlotte’s demands can be explained by expectancy theory
which suggests that motivation depends on individuals’ mental expectations about their
2. What options can you think of for handling Charlotte’s demand for even higher
commissions? Which option would you choose? Why?
3. How might Doris Ann Riley deal with employee morale in light of the extremely high pay
demanded by a star salesperson?
Students’ answers will vary. Doris Ann Riley can promote empowerment among the
employees. She can do so by giving employees more power, information, and authority to
II. Sun Spots
Synopsis
SunDax CEO Dax Hollandsworth turns his leather desk chair from the blinding sunlight
streaming through the large office window and leans back, facing Mark Roberts, the company
CFO. “I dread the quarterly meeting and video feed,” Mark says. “Everyone has been working
really hard and they’ve come to expect the year-end bonus. Hell, they plan for it, their families
Case questions and answers
1. What options can you think of for Dax and Mark to mitigate the damage from unfilled
expectations for the annual bonus?
Students’ answers will vary. Expectancy theory suggests that motivation depends on
individuals’ mental expectations about their ability to perform tasks and receive desired
2. What specific steps would you take if you were a senior manager in this situation? Explain
why for each step.
Students’ answers will vary. Empowerment provides strong motivation because
individuals have a sense that they are in control of their work and success. The manager
3. Do you consider it motivational and equitable when a substantial part of an employee’s
pay is a bonus based on company results in a highly uncertain environment? Why?
Students’ answers will vary. Most of them may not find it motivational or equitable when
a substantial part of an employee’s pay is a bonus based on company results in a highly
uncertain environment. Bonus based on company results in a highly uncertain
Digital Homework Grid
Case Assessment Questions
Topic
Category
Joanne, a team leader, wants
to modify the overall behavior
of her team. To do this, she
praises individual team
members when they do well
and provides constructive
feedback to each member.
Leadership Challenge #3
Perform
Every month, she holds a
meeting to announce the most
productive team member.
Which method of
reinforcement does Joanne
use?
a. Positive reinforcement
b. Negative reinforcement
c. Punishment
d. Extinction
Daniel has been a manager
for seven years. He is a firm
supporter of avoidance
learning as a reinforcement
technique to modify
employee behavior. Which
of the following actions does
he most likely take?
a. He administers a pleasant
and rewarding consequence
immediately following a
desired behavior.
b. He imposes an unpleasant
outcome on an employee in
order to discourage and
weaken an undesirable
behavior.
c. He withholds something
positive, such as attention,
praise, or pay raises.
d. He strengthens the desired
behavior by withdrawing an
unpleasant consequence once
a behavior is improved.
Leadership Challenge #3
Perform
Jack, a mischievous nine-year-
old child, would regularly get
into fights with other children
at school. His mother, Karen,
made a new rule in an attempt
to improve his behavior. If
Jack did not fight, he would be
able to watch an extra half
hour of television every day.
However, Karen simply
ignored Jack’s behavior if she
got complaints from the
parents of other children. In
Leadership Challenge #3
Perform
addition, she refrained from
allowing him to watch
television. Which form of
reinforcement did Karen adopt
to discipline Jack?
a. Positive reinforcement
b. Negative reinforcement
c. Punishment
d. Extinction
Homework Questions
Topic
Category
Mentioned below are the
characteristics of the
conventional management
approach and leadership
approach to management.
Drag and drop the answer
options into their
corresponding columns
illustrated in the table below.
Convention
al
Managemen
t
Leadership
Leadership Challenge #1
Connect
Intrinsic rewards:
a. are given by another person,
typically a supervisor.
b. include promotions and pay
increases.
c. compel individuals to
engage in a task behavior for
an outside source that provides
what they need.
d. come from the satisfaction a
Leadership Challenge #1
Connect
person receives in the process
of performing a particular
action.
Which of the following
statements is true of extrinsic
rewards?
a. They are under the control
of an individual.
certain action.
Leadership Challenge #1
Connect
Rewards such as pay raises,
bonuses, and praise are
characteristic of the _____
approach to motivation.
a. extrinsic positive
b. extrinsic negative
c. intrinsic positive
d. intrinsic negative
Leadership Challenge #2
Engage
You are doing a project on
Maslow’s hierarchy of
needs. You believe you
understand the five general
Need
Descriptio
n of Need
Esteem
In an
organization
al setting,
these are
reflected in
the needs
for adequate
heat, air,
and base
Leadership Challenge #4
Connect
salary to
ensure
survival.
Belongingne
ss
In an
organization
al setting,
Self-
actualization
In an
organization
, these
needs
influence
the desire
for good
relationships
with
Physiological
Within
organization
s, these
needs
reflect a
motivation
for
recognition,
an increase
in
responsibilit
y, high
status, and
credit for
contribution
s to the
organization
.
Safety
These needs
can be met
in an
Mentioned below are a few
needs associated with
satisfaction and
dissatisfaction at the work
place. Drag and drop the
answer options into their
corresponding columns
illustrated in the table below.
Hygiene
Factors
Motivators
Leadership Challenge #4
