Week 11

This week we were asked to compare and contrast our Motivational Needs based on the questionnaire we independently completed. The following are our individual results:

	Achievement	Power	Affiliation
Ellen	25	16	15
Kara	25	17	9
Randy	21	11	10
Simon	19	13	12

We were asked to consider how our differing needs, if any, could affect our team performance. We had a few different thoughts this week. All of our primary motivational needs involve achievement, which is why most of our team's work has turned out to be such high quality. None of us are motivated by personal recognition, so coming to a quick consolidated response each week is accomplished quickly and painlessly. One member felt that differing needs is a must to have a well balanced team. As a result of our team having high scores in affiliation, we may lack unbiased decision making. If our team had all scored high in power; each member may not have wanted to give up their concern with maintaining individual power. Others felt that differing motivational needs could affect our team performance by interfering with our own motivation to complete weekly assignments. For example, one team member expressed that they were turned off by individuals who are motivated by power, especially personalized power. Also, if a team member(s) is motivated by power, they can put the project behind so that they can have the power by fixing it! It was also thought that those who are motivated by affiliation are never able to get their work done because they need to make sure that everyone agrees and no feelings get hurt.

As a team, how will we ensure that each of our team’s motivation needs is met including practical steps we can take as we organize our work on our team project to design in ways to meet each team member’s unique needs? We already seem to cater to high achievers, which helps satisfy all of our primary needs. It doesn't feel like any of us are feeling closed in or have our hands tied, which is why those of us with higher power needs hopefully haven't had any qualms with it. If our needs had been different from each other, we would have needed to make sure we understood the different motivation needs of our team mates and to do our best to accommodate their needs if different than our own needs without it effecting our motivation. Understanding each team members motivational needs will assist in getting their needs met – keeping in mind our own motivational needs but willing to adjust them and compromise to meet each team members. We also need to ensure that we don’t let our own needs become overpowering and close ourselves off to each other team members needs.

Based on the case we read about Bill Kap, the majority of the team felt that Bill’s most dominant need was affiliation since he was involved in multiple activities. Bill wants affiliation because he values his outside affiliations more than he does his work. He needs to feel connected. Another team member felt that affiliation is Bill's driving motivator, but not when it comes to work. The fact that he had less attendance problems with a more hands off management approach leads this team member to believe that power is also a driving factor for him, as he probably secretly takes offense to some micro-managing. And still another team member felt his dominant need was achievement – that perceptual bias would say Bill’s dominant need is affiliation since he is widely known for his socializing and “likes a good time”. However, in looking at his job tasks, they are more in line with achievement. Instead of being a member on the soccer team (affiliation), he is the referee (individual task). In the warehouse, he is individually tasked with putting finished products on a pallet vs. working on an assembly line with other employees where products are being manufactured (sequential interdependence).

We all agreed that power is definitely not a need for Bill. Power is his least dominant need since he does better with hands-off type managers. It appears that he is de-motivated by these types if individuals. The way that this manifests itself is through absenteeism.