MOTIVATION MODELS

People perform better when they are motivated, and people are motivated by different things. Understanding what motivates project team members and other stakeholders helps to tailor rewards to the individual, thereby eliciting more effective engagement. There are a significant number of models that illustrate how people are motivated. Four models are described in Sections 4.2.3.1 through 4.2.3.4, though these are a small representation of available models.

4.2.3.1 Hygiene and Motivational Factors

Frederick Herzberg conducted a study of motivational factors in working life. He believed that job satisfaction and dissatisfaction stem from conditions called motivational factors. Motivational factors include matters that relate to the content of the work, such as achievement, growth, and advancement. Insufficient motivational factors lead to dissatisfaction. Sufficient motivational factors lead to satisfaction.

Herzberg also identified hygiene factors related to the work, such as company policies, salary, and the physical environment. If hygiene factors are insufficient, they cause dissatisfaction. However, even if they are sufficient, they do not lead to satisfaction.

4.2.3.2 Intrinsic versus Extrinsic Motivation

Daniel Pink published several books about the intrinsic factors that motivate people. He stated that while extrinsic rewards, such as salary, are motivators to a certain extent, once a person is paid fairly for their work, the motivational power of extrinsic rewards ceases to exist. For complicated and challenging work, such as much of the work on projects, intrinsic motivators are far longer lasting and more effective. Pink identifies three types of intrinsic motivators: autonomy, mastery, and purpose:

• Autonomy. Autonomy is the desire to direct one’s own life. This is aligned with being able to determine how, where, and when to accomplish work. Autonomy includes flexible work hours, working from home, and work on self-selecting and self-managing project teams.
• Mastery. Mastery is about being able to improve and excel. The desire to do excellent work, learn, and achieve goals are aspects of mastery.
• Purpose. Purpose speaks to the need to make a difference. Knowing the project vision and how work contributes to achieving that vision allows people to feel like they are making a difference.