Self-Motivation for Middle Managers - Challenge or Difficulties?

{This article is written in the form of a letter, addressing the middle managers. It is observed that the sentiments and thinking described are representative of what is going on in large organizations. It is hoped that some insights described could be of value and help to a few souls.}

Dear MMPI participants,

We had been together attending a course for 5 days on "Managing Motivation for Performance Improvement". It was certainly a good experience to be together : learning and reflecting, interacting and sharing many lessons, experience, fun and jokes. We come from different companies of the same corporation : some of us met each other for the first time, others have some acquaintance in one way or another.

There are several things we have in common : we are the middle managers of a large corporation. From the survey data, we were told that we are working under a very "harsh" organizational environment : high demands from organizations for us to achieve results, there are big gaps between our expectation from the upper management as compared with the actual. Many felt that they have been forgotten by the organization in term of job promotion and recognition for too long, others are suffering due to job transfer to other countries or places away from families, etc. etc.

From the course, we were given the following knowledge : Theory of Motivation, Understanding our own primary motives in term of a) achievement, b) affiliation and c) Power. and their relationship with our own values profile and that of the job or environment. We were presented with the model of a) Organizational Climate, b) Management Style, c) Job Requirements and d) Individual Competencies, and the interdependency of these four elements. The key message is focusing on us the managers on the importance of leadership skills with regard to socialized power, the ability to inspire and motivate others for greater collective performance more superior than individuals relentless (and often futile) effort to achieve things. At the same time, the course facilitators sympathize with us that we were not inspired and motivated by the upper management, nor influenced by a conducive organizational climate.

We played games that many times reviewed our own strengths and weaknesses, our own primary motives and our level of competencies and how such attributes affect the stakeholders (or participants in the games), thus creating a climate, positive or otherwise. At the end of the course, we are asked to prepare our personal action plan.

As I try to empathize with some of you, either from interaction, observation and trying to deeply feel your mental models, I detect resignation, frustration, floatation, helplessness. The following sentiments were expressed at the beginning or progress of the course, e.g. "another one of the course or management fads without result" "Why should I motivate my staff when I am not motivated by my boss?" "It is a futile effort, nothing will change" "I am simply too powerless" "even if I could motivate my staff to take extra initiatives for the good of the organization, they maybe expelled by the defensive parties in this complex and interrelated organizational web of politics. Who is to ensure their safety?", "I am too old now, my prime time had passed and wasted". Such sentiments, in my perception, still lingered on in many even after the course. After all, not being naive, 5-days course really can't change a person, nor have we experienced any significant change in those many senior managers who have gone through the same course before us.

The key real issue is : "How do we motivate ourselves in this world that we perceive as harsh and uninspiring and uncaring?" Or, a more fundamental issue is "Why should I motivate myself?"

There are motivation stuff used in the course, like organization needs you to be effective leaders to face the new challenge and new millennium your newly learned effort can help to inspire and motivate a few souls like your own staff, although we can't change the world.. But I can see that many may not be aroused to take a new bold step for the sake of organization or other people as they are locked up in their own paradigm of "why should I?"

It is not my intention to offer any solution, nor do I have any. After all, if the issue is "why should I motivate myself?", there is really no issue. "Just leave my alone. And I will merely comply to whatever basic requirements just to do my jobs". However, we could initiate a dialogue for further exploration and experimentation.

I can't help to read the deeper message of your resignation, frustration and helplessness. As these signals only reinforce my belief of your yearning to be motivated to realize something that is meaningful and satisfying. Such longing is the intrinsic nature of any human being.

As I ponder on the Maslow's law of heirachy of needs, I think many of us are at the different levels : a) Basic needs, b) Security, c) Socialization, d) Recognition and e) Self actualization. Maybe it is basic needs like financial that is of concern, or security in term of uncertainty about future job movement, need for teamwork to get work done as socialization factor, or recognition in the form of promotion, job title, or struggling hard towards self actualization.

Obviously, different levels of needs requires different treatment and management. Furthermore to link and synergize the current needs with that of effective job performance as visionary and inspiring leaders requires creative ideas, energy and drive to make things happen. The current needs may seem unrelated to our work environment, as they could be in the domains of family or social life. Inspirational ideas are essential to make sense of any possible connection.

Awareness and understanding of the above is still not enough to effect self motivation. Irrespective of our primary motives, values and job profile in term of achievement, affiliation and power, there must be something that triggers us to take the next bold step, or to feel motivated to manage these motives profile to satisfy our current needs and other advantages. If our needs and motives profiles are synonymous with assortment of tools locked in a box, we need the key to open the box to make use of the tools.

I see that the key is our mental models, how we view the world around us and our reaction in the form of ideas, attitudes and life philosophy. These mental models are strong and powerful filters that either block us to take the next step, or facilitate us to act towards our goals, or simply dictate us to behave how we are behaving now. A familiar example used is : a person sees a glass half empty, another sees as half full. Different perspectives or mental models lead to different behavior.

Looking at the sentiments expressed or otherwise and examine the underlying mental models

• "another one of the course or management fads without result" :

  Possibly, many past management programs produced nothing good, hence the skepticism and no further action.

  Whereas if the paradigm is shifted to : "I commit to make this program a big difference to myself"? Maybe more exploration, analysis, discovery as the next step.

• "Why should I motivate my staff when I am not motivated by my boss?"

  Sound very logical thinking and lead to no further action.

  Different ideas like "If I could motivate my staff more, I may have more chance to motivate myself greater?" will produce different results altogether. Or, is it an acceptable logic for our own children to have the mental model that : "Why should I do better in my school study when I know that my parents are not brilliant in their study?"?

• "It is a futile effort, nothing will change", or "I am simply too powerless"

  Very clear mental model of "giving up", "admitting defeat" however maybe the "good and logical" evidence. Obviously no action is expected as such conclusion is made.

The Battle of the Many "Why"s?

Why should I shift my current mental model? Why do I have to look at current reality from different perspectives? Why should I cause a shift in my current paradigm, when there is so much evidence and past experience to prove that my conclusion is true and absolute?

The Question of How?

There are some who claim that they want a 'change', but do not know 'How'. I observe that many such proclamations are mere wishes and intellectual exercise than from truly and strongly the personal belief and conviction. The later type of people, through their persistent effort will create a direction to pursue. At the same time, belief and conviction could be built and reinforced through serious reflection by those curious minded in this direction of "how" : leading to more exploration, experimentation, discovery, action learning. In this respect, we are at the domain of "Creativity & Innovation", "Discipline and Practice". The many questions of 'how' (on Creativity and Discipline) is again caused by mind blocks mental model, especially for many corporate members like us. There are many opportunities not seized as many corporations are more than generous in giving knowledge, techniques and tools through training, seminar, conference, and so called management fads implementation. The knowledge, techniques and skills are in the form of TQM, ISO 9000, ReEngineering, Lateral Thinking, Learning Organization, etc. The lack of system thinking to connect and manage the given knowledge to our own advantages and our life goal is a grave opportunity missed for many. It is also a opportunity loss to organization in their sincere intention on such expensive knowledge investment emphasizing on organizational goals and not helping individual members to design and realize their personal life goals.

As I try to summarize this discussion, I see that the main theme is on "Understanding of self and the environment : their relationship and outcome". We started from the knowledge on Motives profile, and Maslow human needs. We deal on the central issue of Self Motivation, then Why and How and we move on to our Mental Model that guides and direct our behavior and action. I suggest the importance of appropriate Knowledge Techniques and skills to explore, discover, experiment and LEARN, the type of learning that causes a shift in our mental model leading to different action and behavior. I give example that we have missed many opportunities. Should we loose more?

Structured and disciplined Reflection in the above aspects, may well create a new worldview for ourselves to take a new bold step to our cherished dream and personal vision. If it happens, this letter may add a little value and I wish you enjoyable understanding of your life mission.