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by K. A. I. Kalyanaratne, Head - Human Resources & Administration, Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka Limited (MBSL)

An organisation is a community established in order to achieve the specific objectives spelt out in its vision - mission and goals.

As a mere assemblage of people will not make an organisation to function as desired, five principal ways are adopted to infuse into its responsibilities, authority and power, and the mechanism for it to work its way through. These are communicated through (a) the organisational structure (b) function descriptions (c) job descriptions (d) terms of reference and fifthly (e) the systems, processes and procedures.

The physical inputs which include land, buildings, material, machinery and equipment are of value to the extent the organisation's community, that is its staff, takes the initiative to make use of them to 'deliver the goods'. In other words, everything achieved in or by an organisation ultimately depends upon the activities of its employees.

Our experiences have amply supported the findings of researches that the performance of a task is almost, always a function of three factors, viz. environment, ability and motivation. It may be that some are confused thinking that punishments or punitive action, a force that put people into action, has been excluded from the above factors. Yes, it was dropped as people cannot be made to come out with their best by force/compulsion.

Motivation - What it means

It is motivation that makes one feel determined to do something and it is motivation that brings out the best in people. Motivation is, therefore, a factor to be reckoned with in all activities involving human interaction. Its importance has been considered to be of special significance in organisational management as organisations muster resources at considerable costs to meet their expectations within a projected timeframe. Organisations rightly perceive motivation as the process of getting its people to move in the direction it wants them to. Motivation thus occupies the box seat in all the human resource development and utilisation (HRD and HRU) programmes.

Pressure on HR Manager

In a way it is correct to say that whatever an HR manager does in an organisation should ultimately result in motivating the staff. It is incumbent on him, therefore, to foresee the dangers and pitfalls of implementing managerial decisions as he is expected to advise the management of any ill-effects managerial actions would have on staff morale. Herein the HR manager plays multiple roles as advisor and counsellor and ultimately as the guardian of staff morale and motivation. His overall responsibility and commitment is of much strategic value and importance. Of course, the HR manager should be mature, competent, experienced and above all committed to assume this multiple role.

Danger of little knowledge

However, the irony is that many a functional/line manager little realising the strategic importance of the role of the HR manager, attempts at exerting pressure on matters relating to staff morale and motivation, by being dogmatic, and persistent in implementing their assumptions. Devoid of the expected conceptual and philosophical background, they expect that the oft-discussed and commonly applied motivational techniques would do the needful.

These motivational techniques include rewards - incentives - salary increments - bonuses, recognition and promotions and external training. It has also been seen that on many such occasions the decision makers give into these pressures, as those exerting pressure are more influential and have a say in the organisation's business, in the short run. In such instances The HR manager is considered as a solitary figure. It is numerical strength as against the profundity of experience, competence and genuine commitment. The danger of this approach is that they give a wrong message to the staff. Moreover, they damage the desired balance and harmony with the organisation.

Motivation demands a strong middle management tier

Hence it is a must that organisations strengthen the managerial tiers in desired management skills, concepts and attitudes. It is the functional/line manager who would come into direct contact with the staff. Moreover, it is he who directly and closely allocates, assigns, supervises, monitors and evaluates staff performances. It is, therefore, imperative that organisations ensure a strong middle tier.

A significant portion of motivational issues could be satisfactorily resolved if those in the middle tiers of management have a thorough understanding of both human and organisational behaviour. It is common knowledge that the efforts of top managements do not bear fruit due to poorly equipped line and functional managers.

The figure shows the reciprocal relationship or the interdependence of motivation and performance (functional activities). One would, therefore, be at a quandary as to what should precede and what should follow. For example, if an organisation wishes to empower the service personnel to enable them to take decisions (of course within the specified limits) at a customer interface, what should be adopted and implemented first?

Should it be empowerment or motivation? To provide them with a willing and happy frame of mind to take up additional responsibility one may say that motivation should come first. It may also be argued that the people should be empowered before motivating them. Motivation sans a specific objective will tend to give the feeling that it is a right the people could demand or should expect. It is recommended, therefore, that both these aspects should be adopted and implemented simultaneously. Motivation per se, will have no effect if it is not linked to strategic issues.

Mistakes - a part of training

Mistakes are not committed. They occur. If lapses/errors are committed wilfully and deliberately, they would be considered as sabotage.

However, reality is that managers sans the desired vision and adequate managerial acumen consider mistakes as punishable offences. Some of them even take pride in detecting mistakes and rejoice at the victims being punished. Mistakes manifest a lacuna in the competence of a person who performs that particular job. Any gap found between the competencies a performer should possess and what actually he has, is a matter a manager should consider bridging.

This would become a part of training and development. If mistakes occur they should be treated as part of training. Such an enlightened approach will definitely motivate the employees.

Leadership behaviours

Leadership behaviours that motivate employees inspire them to repose faith and trust in their leaders. Such behaviours generate a sense of confidence in their ability to provide all the ingredients of a contented worklife. This is the basis for creating the desired climate to ensure that the people have confidence in their respective competencies to contribute positively to realise the organisational objectives. It has been said that Control - Competence, and Climate are the three linking elements that achieve high quality leadership. Control and competencies produce the desired procedures and processes for an effective working system while climate provides the environment for creativity, innovativeness and initiative.

Motivation through enriching work life

More experienced managers will agree that the majority of employees will respond positively and effectively to any endeavour to improve their contribution through enriching their life, if they are given sufficient freedom and discretion within the organizational parameters.

This truth indirectly tells us that we need to review and change the way our staff is managed. The type of leaders that motivates the staff by communicating a vision and common direction are referred to as transformational leaders. Their wish is to transform organizations through transforming the staff to be an innovative - creative lot. As against this type, the transactional leaders are more dogmatic, and their main concern is to maintain the status quo. Their approach is mostly reactive. Their staff more often work under stress as they feel that their activities are monitored to fix responsibility on them if mistakes occur.

Great demotivators

Almost every forum on staff motivation only speak of great motivators or the factors that boost up staff motivation. But they little realize that eliminating demotivating factors should precede the introduction of 'great motivators'. Deviation from this basic truth will be like hiding jaggery at the outlet of a dam. If you ponder carefully demotivating factors would contain a long list. However, some of the more important among these seem to be:

* Refusal to delegate - Managements refuse to delegate due mainly to (a) The subordinates not being trusted about their ability to do the job (b) Consideration that only could do the job. (C) A sense of insecurity that they would lose control and responsibility (d) Ignorant of the fact that delegations is productive and that it motivates and develops the staff.

* Inconsistency - Not being mindful of precedences and taking ad hoc decisions on sensitive - thorny issues. Such weaknesses on the part of managers would result in staff losing faith and becoming demotivated. It may also be that managements manifest inconsistency when issues are treated differently by differentiating staff as loyalists and not so loyalists.

* Not praising where/ when praise is due - Some consider that not being praised is the biggest demotivator. Enlightened managers who have fine-tuned management techniques are firm believers of praising where/when praise is due. Organizations that are aware of the impact of this motivating technique have consciously incorporated this aspect in their cultures. Some organizations link this aspect to participative management techniques like quality circles, work-improvement teams, continuous improvement teams, task-oriented cross-functional teams, 5S, and kaizen suggestion programmes.

Realizing the efficacy of instant motivation to inspire - influence and activate people the author of Instant Motivation, Brian Clegg looks at motivation on three different levels. "The first level of motivation concerns the individual, giving someone the encouragement to make that extra mile.

The second focuses on the team, pulling together a group with a common aim to achieve success. The third is large-scale motivation - working with a whole set of people at a conference or other large gathering. As comprehensively dealt by him, instant motivation techniques are quite exhaustive and they require minimal preparation, and will therefore, have no burden on organisational resources.

* Incomplete and conflicting information - Receiving of incomplete or conflicting information are invariably instances resulting in staff demotivation and frustration. Such instances are normally interpreted as due to a lack of confidence and faith the managements have on their employees. There have even been instances where industrial disputes have erupted as a result of not keeping the staff informed of correct information, and delaying the publicizing of information.

* Using of impolite, aggressive language and being bad-tempered -

It goes without saying that such behaviour is intolerable. As such it cannot motivate people. An organisation should have a decent - cultured work environment. Intolerable work environments will, for certain, inhibit healthy dialogue and free flow of information. Motivation and stress are incompatible.

Staff development and motivation should go hand in hand

Of what purpose is motivation if the staff is not competent to perform their tasks. A highly motivated workforce is a must for any enterprise seeking to achieve it subjectives.

Motivation generates motivation. For this high aim the managers should be an enlightened lot. The staff should be capable of performing the given tasks. However much they are motivated will be of no value if they do not possess the competencies needed to perform their jobs. Most of the organizations appear to be oblivious to this basic fact.

Brian Clough, British Footballer and manager (played football from 1952 to 1964 and as manager from 1964 to 1975), has been said to be a 'master motivator'. I wish to conclude this by quoting what Brian Clough said about motivation.

"I couldn't motivate a bee to sting you if it didn't have the equipment. I couldn't motivate a snake if it didn't have the teeth. You can only bring out of people what they are capable of giving. Two of the great myths circulating now are that Heinz's beans are the best and that I can get more out of men than they have inside them". (Quoted by Hugh Mcllvanney in the Observer of 15 November 1975).

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