The Role of Motivation in Organization

Definitions:
“Motivation is the act of stimulating someone or oneself to get a desired course of
action or to push the right bottom to get a desired action.’’ (Michal Jocius)

The process that accounts for an individual’s Intensity, Direction and Persistence of
effort toward attaining a organizational goal.

Introduction:
This study tests Perry’s theory and examines the role that organizational factors
play in shaping public service motivation, based on responses from a national survey of state
government health and human service managers. The findings support the role of
sociohistorical context, showing that public service motivation is strongly and positively related
to level of education and membership in professional organizations. The results also underscore
the significant influence of organizational institutions, indicating that red tape and length of
organizational membership are negatively related to public service motivation, whereas
hierarchical authority and reform efforts have a positive relationship. Therefore, public
organizations have both an opportunity and a responsibility to create an environment that
allows employees to feel they are contributing to the public good. (wiley online library)

His paper claims that current work motivation theories are restricted in certain respects due to
their overreliance on individualistic-hedonistic assumptions and their over-emphasis of
cognitive-calculative processes. It is suggested that a self-concept based theory should be
added to the existing core of theories in order to overcome their limitations. Certain
assumptions about the relationships between the self-concept and behavior are presented,
followed by a series of theoretical propositions and some research suggestions. The
implications of the theory for organizational commitment, collective work behavior,
transformational leadership and symbolic management are briefly
discussed.(https://doi.org/10.1177/017084069101200304).
 Types of Motivation
There are two types of motivation Intrinsic and Extrinsic:

What Is Extrinsic Motivation?

Extrinsic motivation occurs when we are motivated to perform a behavior or engage in an
activity to earn a reward or avoid punishment. In this case, you engage in a behavior not
because you enjoy it or because you find it satisfying, but in order to get something in return or
avoid something unpleasant.

What Is Intrinsic Motivation?

Intrinsic motivation involves engaging in a behavior because it is personally rewarding;
essentially, performing an activity for its own sake rather than the desire for some external
reward. Essentially, the behavior itself is its own reward.

Differences between Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation:

Intrinsic Motivation Extrinsic Motivation

 Participating in a sport because you  Participating in a sport to win

find the activity enjoyable awards

 Cleaning your room because you  Cleaning your room to avoid being
like tidying up reprimanded by your parents

 Solving a word puzzle because you  Competing in a contest to win a

find the challenge fun and exciting scholarship

 Studying a subject you find  Studying because you want to get a

fascinating. good grade
 Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation: Which Is Best?
 The primary difference between the two types of motivation is that extrinsic motivation
arises from outside of the individual while intrinsic motivation arises from within.
Researchers have also found that the two type of motivation can differ in how effective
they are at driving behavior.

 Some studies have demonstrated that offering excessive external rewards for an already
internally rewarding behavior can lead to a reduction in intrinsic motivation, a
phenomenon known as the over justification effect.

 In one study, for example, children who were rewarded for playing with a toy they had
already expressed interest in playing with became less interested in the item after being
externally rewarded.

 This is not to suggest that extrinsic motivation is a bad thing. Extrinsic motivation can be
beneficial in some situations. It can be particularly helpful in situations where a person
needs to complete a task that they find unpleasant. However:

 External rewards can induce interest and participation in something in which the
individual had no initial interest.

 Extrinsic rewards can be used to motivate people to acquire new skills or knowledge.
Once these early skills have been learned, people may then become more intrinsically
motivated to pursue the activity.

 External rewards can also be a source of feedback, allowing people to know when their
performance has achieved a standard deserving of reinforcement.

 Extrinsic motivators should be avoided in situations where:

 The individual already finds the activity intrinsically rewarding

 Offering a reward might make a "play" activity seem more like "work"
 The Role of Motivation in Students

Introduction:
Erik and Andrew are in the same first grade class. Erik loves any activity that
involves coloring, drawing or illustrating. He spends all of his free time engaged in these sorts of
activities, sometimes oblivious to other things going on in the classroom. Andrew, on the other
hand, dislikes drawing and art and will avoid it at all costs. Both students are high achievers and
good listeners, but they are motivated by completely different interests and activities. In the
classroom, motivation drives many behaviors and it is important to understand the importance
of motivation in an educational environment.

The Importance of Motivation for Students:

Motivation is described as a state that energizes, directs and sustains behavior.
Motivation involves goals and requires activity. Goals provide the impetus for and the direction
of action, while action entails effort: persistence in order to sustain an activity for a long period
of time.

The selection of a task under free-choice conditions indicates motivation to perform the task. In
our earlier example, Erik chose to engage in art activities during his free time. This is indicative
of being motivated by art and art-type activities.

High effort levels, especially when working on different tasks and assignments, are also
indicative of motivation. For example, if a student diligently works on a difficult algebra
problem again and again, this would indicate a higher level of motivation towards math
activities.

Working for a longer period of time, especially after encountering numerous obstacles, is also
associated with higher motivation. For example, John, a student in PE class, was unable to
master jumping rope, but he chose to continue trying to jump rope during recess; this time on
task indicates a high level of motivation towards mastering the activity of jumping rope.

In the classroom, educators should be aware of these indices in an effort to reinforce activities
and interests that students already show an existing partiality for. There is an actual term for
this - it's called situational motivation.
How can we Improve Motivation in Classroom?
1: Define the objectives.

It can be very frustrating for students to complete an assignment or

even to behave in class if there aren’t clearly defined objectives. Students want and need to
know what is expected of them in order to stay motivated to work. At the beginning of the
year, lay out clear objectives, rules, and expectations of students so that there is no confusion
and students have goals to work towards.

2: Create a threat-free environment.

While students do need to understand that there are consequences to

their actions, far more motivating for students than threats are positive reinforcements. When
teachers create a safe, supportive environment for students, affirming their belief in a student’s
abilities rather than laying out the consequences of not doing things, students are much more
likely to get and stay motivated to do their work. At the end of the day, students will fulfill the
expectations that the adults around them communicate, so focus on can, not can’t.

3: Change your scenery.

A classroom is a great place for learning, but sitting at a desk day in and
day out can make school start to seem a bit dull for some students. To renew interest in the
subject matter or just in learning in general, give your students a chance to get out of the
classroom. Take field trips, bring in speakers, or even just head to the library for some research.
The brain loves novelty and a new setting can be just what some students need to stay
motivated to learn.

4: Use positive competition.

Competition in the classroom isn’t always a bad thing, and in some cases
can motivate students to try harder and work to excel. Work to foster a friendly spirit of
competition in your classroom, perhaps through group games related to the material or other
opportunities for students to show off their knowledge.

5: Offer rewards.

Everyone likes getting rewards, and offering your students the chance to
earn them is an excellent source of motivation. Things like pizza parties, watching movies, or
even something as simple as a sticker on a paper can make students work harder and really aim
to achieve. Consider the personalities and needs of your students to determine appropriate
rewards for your class.
6: Give students responsibility.

Assigning students classroom jobs is a great way to build a community

and to give students a sense of motivation. Most students will see classroom jobs as a privilege
rather than a burden and will work hard to ensure that they, and other students, are meeting
expectations. It can also be useful to allow students to take turns leading activities or helping
out so that each feels important and valued.

7: Allow students to work together.

While not all students will jump at the chance to work in groups, many
will find it fun to try to solve problems, do experiments, and work on projects with other
students. The social interaction can get them excited about things in the classroom and
students can motivate one another to reach a goal. Teachers need to ensure that groups are
balanced and fair, however, so that some students aren’t doing more work than others.

(https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/21-simple-ideas-to-improve-student-motivatio)
 The Role of Motivation for Teachers

Introduction:
Motivation is very necessary in any field you work, in your daily routine to do
great things. If you are not motivated to do something, you cannot give your best in that field.
Teaching is a very important field as future development of our nation is in the hand of
teachers. If they themselves are not motivated, how will they motivated the students to
achieve great results, how to do great things in their life. The thing student learns very much
depend on how a teacher teaches it. If he creates curiosity in the minds of students, evoke their
interest in their learning , then only we can expect a good future for our nation and that is only
possible when teacher is motivated itself for teaching. The motivation can be gained by
updating your knowledge in your field of teaching and learning new things also. Sometime it
can be monotonous to teach same things to different students all the time, but this can be
interesting also by observing how different students learn and how they see it with their view.

(https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-importance-of-motivation-in-teaching).

Nowadays, the problem of motivation for didactic career is an increasingly important issue both
for researchers and education managers. The present paper is a study intended to offer a clear
and pragmatic vision of work motivation for primary teachers in schools. The results are meant
to help the specialists on teachers training to raise the degree of work motivation for teachers.
The conclusion of the study is that teacher's motivation plays a key role in defining policies to
attract, maintain and develop teachers’ career.

References
Borko and Putnam, 1995

H. Borko, R.T. Putnam Expanding a Teacher's Knowledge Base: A Cognitive Psychological

Perspectives on Professional Development

T.R. Guskey, M. Hurberman (Eds.), Professional Development in Education: New Paradigms and
Practices., Teachers College Press, New York (1995).
How to keep the Teachers Motivated:

1. Make yourself available:

Your role as a school administrator is to make your teachers’ lives easier

so that they can teach and your students can learn. Help your teachers as much as possible
when they have a heavier workload. Consider asking your teachers what they need help with
before jumping in, so that they do not feel like you are micromanaging. Make sure to also help
your teachers through monotonous tasks with software tools.

2. Publicly praise teachers:

If a teacher feels valued, you won’t need to worry about motivating them.
These teachers will know how to stay motivated. Making each teacher feel valued can be as
simple as including an announcement in the morning thanking the teacher for something that
they have done recently. You can also make this a larger gesture by organizing a staff lunch in
which you personally thank teachers for outstanding contributions to the school.

3. Encourage teachers to reward each other:

Create a teaching trophy that is given out at the end of each day, week,
or month. This can be awarded for excellent teaching, or going above and beyond in activities
outside the classroom. Have the last winner select the winner of the next award. This provides
your teachers with an incentive to excel and also gets them used to accepting feedback from
each other.

4. Leave some room in the budget for small gifts:

Consider purchasing something small, like coffee shop gift cards, that you
can give to teachers who go above and beyond. For example, If a teacher volunteers to take an
extra supervisory shift, make sure that they know that their work is appreciated with a small
gift. Your teachers will appreciate the extra coffee!

5. Encourage teachers to seek out professional development opportunities:

You should offer professional development for the teachers within your
school, but also provide opportunities for each teacher to learn outside the school. This could
include conferences, workshops, or specialized professional development offered at the district
level. Approve all reasonable requests. Make sure that you are also keeping an eye out for new
opportunities, and presenting these to all teachers at staff meetings.
6. Provide opportunities to take breaks:

Consider giving each teacher a form that can be used for a morning or
afternoon off, no questions asked. This can be given out once a semester but must be given to
you in advance, so that someone can be found to cover the class. This is a small action that
doesn’t cost you much but lets your teacher know that you care about them and will go out of
your way to make sure that they are happy.

7. Give teachers a voice:

Being left out of an important decision that affects them is the easiest
way for a teacher to lose motivation. Many teachers would love to be involved in these
decisions if you gave them the opportunity. Invite a teacher from each grade to be a
representative during board meetings to get their opinion and learn about their proposed
strategies. Also consider holding “open-door” meetings, where every teacher has the option to
attend and listen during meetings, even if they are not directly involved.

8. Empower each teacher’s strengths:

Every teacher has strengths and weaknesses. When teachers are able to
use that strength in the classroom, it’s easy to see how much more engaged and inspired
students become. It may be difficult for some teachers to recognize their own strengths,
especially while trying to keep up with curriculum standards. To help them figure out what
works in their classroom, have each teacher think about any particular lessons that worked
really well, and any tools or techniques that the teacher likes to use, such as incorporating
music into a lesson.

9. Recognize key stress times:

Don’t overload teachers with professional development during report

card season! Avoid new initiatives and stresses during the end of the term, report-writing
periods, or while teachers are marking exams. If there’s any way you can lend a hand during
these times, whether it’s taking on some of the work yourself, or covering a teacher’s lunch
supervision shift, make sure to do so!

10. Encourage collaboration:

Having your teachers work together can significantly impact their

motivation. More experienced teachers will be recognized for their best teaching strategies.
Younger teachers will be given validation that they things that they are trying are actually
working. Consider creating professional learning communities within your school to create a
more formal structure for collaboration.
Importance of Teacher Motivation:
Schools exist, primarily to educate children. It is for this purpose that
teachers are employed in schools (Fiddler & Atton, 1997). Teachers are, thus, the most
important professionals for any nation’s future. However, without adequate support and
resources, teachers will not be motivated although they may be highly qualified. It is sad to
note that teachers, the most valuable human resource, are often neglected (Abdo, 2001). One
should bear in mind that a nation’s strength depends on the high quality of its education
system and the strength of such a system, in turn, relies on qualified and motivated teachers.
Inspired and motivated are essential in providing quality education.

School Leadership and Teachers’ Motivation:

Leadership can be defined as the ability to enlist, mobilize and motivate
others to apply their abilities and resources to a given cause (Eyal and Roth, 2010). This capacity
is fundamental in the educational sphere. Very often, educators think in terms of motivating
students to learn. Equally important, though, with respect to educational leadership is the
motivation of teachers (Silver, 1982).

According to Kocabas and Karakose (2002), teachers are responsible to their schools and the
principals are in turn responsible for the proper administration of the school. Therefore, the
main responsibility for motivating teachers falls to the school head. Along this line, Barker
(2001) studied poor performers and effective principals and suggested that effective leaders
indeed motivate the staff. He claimed that the latter should be there to enthuse and invigorate
teachers rather than to ‘shape’ them. Good leadership improves both teacher motivation and
work settings. Further research by Kiziltepe (2006) found that the primary source of teachers’
de-motivation was the administration

Though, the relationship between School leadership and Teacher Motivation have not directly
been subject to much research, Brown and Hughes (2008) highlight the importance of exploring
the different factors that motivate teachers, as society increasingly holds them accountable for
student achievement. The relationship between school leadership and teacher motivation is
related in the research literature to the attempt to better understand principals’ impact on
school performance (Leithwood and Jantzi, 2005; Leithwood and Mascall, 2008; Supovitz,
Sirinides and May, 2010). Thus teachers’ engagement and their motivation have been studied
mostly as a mediating factor between school leadership and students’ learning (Hallinger and
Heck, 1998). According to Sharpe, Klockow & Martin (2002), the factors motivating teachers can
vary from classroom to classroom, school to school, or district to district. If teachers are not
motivated to teach, then the search for educational excellence will be avail (Richardson, Short
& Prickett, 2003).

How can School Leaders Affect Teachers’ Motivation

Several studies suggest that school leadership is second only to
classroom teaching as an influence on student learning (Leithwood, Harris, &Hopkins, 2008;
Leithwood &Jantzi, 2008) and that key to optimizing student learning is the influence exerted
by school leaders on teacher motivation and commitment (Day, Stobart, Sammons, Kington, &
Gu, 2006; Leithwood & Mascall, 2008). According to studies (Hallinger and Heck, 1996), school
leadership affects students’ outcomes indirectly, by creating the conditions that support
teachers’ ability to teach and students’ learning. Teachers’ motivation includes the expenditure
of effort to achieve a goal (Martin, 2000). It is also about creating forces that power and drive
their respective behaviours (Bursalioglu, 2002). Dull (1981) believes that school leaders could
motivate teachers by improving a situation perceived to be difficult by an individual, thereby
meeting needs. In addition, the school leader can also motivate teachers by providing adequate
driving forces to urge one into action (Genc, 1987). The human factor should not be ignored,
the educational leader should strive in developing a physiological and psychological process
which takes into account individual desires, goals, tendencies, behaviour, self-interest,
preference, will-power and drive. He/she should be considerate, that is, consider both intrinsic
and extrinsic forces that actuate, direct and maintain staff behaviours (Gursel, 1997).
Motivating teachers also implies increasing the latter’s willingness to work and making them
believe that they will satisfy their personal needs if they work efficiently in the school (Yuksel,
1998), by providing the appropriate conditions.

Porter, Polikoff, Goldring, Murphy, Elliot and May (2010) claims that these conditions include
high standards for student learning, rigorous curricula, quality instruction, a culture of learning
and above all- professional behaviour. Indeed, scholarly writings have linked the above
mentioned conditions with increased teacher motivation to exert extra effort in teaching
(Geisel, Sleegers, Leithwood and Jantzi, 2003). They added that school leadership has a key role
in ensuring these conditions at school. Geisel et al. (2003) also mentioned that schools are
effective only when the whole school community work as a whole and not as fragmented units.
Thus, the school leaders should not only occupy the authority position but should also be visible
(Dinham, Cariney, Craigie and Wilson, 1995) in the institution, so as to be able to motivate their
staffs.