From Motivation to Engagement

Analytical Laboratory Management Association

BEYOND MOTIVATION TO ENGAGEMENT:

The Challenge of Knowledge Work

ALMA Conference, Houston, 2001

James W. Marcum, Ph.D.

[email protected]


Lab Management Purpose

Discovery–Problem solving–Testing– Innovation– Implementation

And a good return on investment


Lab Management: Challenges

Researcher or Administrator?

Administrative support to handle– Finance– Personnel– Technology– Publicity, safety, legalities,

maintenance…? … or, how many hats do you wear?

» V. P. White, Handbook of Research Laboratory Management (ISI Press, 1988)


Resources Accomplishments NOT due

primarily to– Building and equipment– Financial support– Quality processes

But rather to the dedication, effort, commitment and engagement of the people on the “front lines”


Personnel: Challenge and

Opportunity Traditional management– Control– Accountability– Leadership . . . (dysfunctional?)

The new management– Networking– Empowerment– Coaching– Learning


OUTLINE

Knowledge workers are different–Quit treating people as

dummies

Motivation = manipulation Rewards kill interest Engagement is worth a try


Knowledge Workers: Characteristics

Specialized: effective in specialty Acquire and apply theoretical and

analytical knowledge Learning-based (formal education)

and habit of lifelong learning Require a social context.

» P. Drucker, Managing in a Time of Great Change. (Dutton, 1995), pp. 226-243.


Knowledge Workers = Intellectual Capital

… create, share, search out, and use knowledge in their daily routines

» T. Davenport & L. Prusak, Working Knowledge, (Harvard Business, 1998), p. 108

they “own” the means of production of the digital economy

» D. Tapscott, Digital Economy (McGraw-Hill, 1996), p. 67.


Knowledge Workers: HumanCapital in the Digital Economy Expect value for value given Require full disclosure (cynical: have

experienced corporate disloyalty/layoffs) Seek meaning in work; and opportunity

for advancement Require extensive learning Opportunity to network, work in teams

» Smith and Kelly, “Human Capital in the Digital Economy,” in Hesselbein, ed., The Organization of the Future, (Jossey-Bass, 1997), pp. 201-205.


Knowledge Creation

Not best measured by number of patents and scientific formulae

But rather by social trust, care, Ba, technology-enhanced communication, communities of practice, and interorganizational collaboration

» I. Nonaka and T. Nishigushi, Knowledge Emergence (Oxford, 2001)


Net Generation: Knowledge Workers of the Future working = learning = playing = working

... require flexible, custom environments

which they can influence and shape (consensus, not arbitrary command)

simultaneously an authority (some domains) and a student (in others)

cannot be “supervised” (in traditional sense)

require: fully networked connectivity» D. Tapscott, Growing Up Digital (McGraw-Hill,

1997).


The Motivation ‘Complex’

A paradigm: Ubiquitous assumptions underlie social attitudes about learning, child-raising, and employment

Enormous industry of “motivators”– Books– Speakers– Recognition and Awards– Bonuses, trips


The Problem with Motivation Idea of “motivating people”

should be banished from the language of management

Amounts to manipulation and control

Demeaning and dysfunctional


The Problem with Motivation Idea of “motivating” people

should be banished from the language

Amounts to manipulation and control

Demeaning and dysfunctional


People … dummies?

Motivation image: Carrot and Stick ... what lies in between?

. . . motivation, as practiced, treats people like ....

» H. Levinson, “Asinine Ideas toward Motivation,” Harvard Business Review, (January 1973).


Motivation: Evolving Models Behaviorism (person as

machine)

Cognition (person as decision-

maker)

Purpose (person as creator of

meaning)» Maehr and Meyer, “Understanding Motivation

and Schooling,” Educational Psychology Review (1997).


Motivation I: Behaviorism

Assumptions of biological core dominated early 20th Century ideas

Stressed appetites, instincts, frustrations

Biological / mechanical assumptions– Watson; Hull’s “drives;” Skinner’s S-R theory

Freudianism (drives vs. civilization) as well

» Cofer and Appley, Motivation: Theory and Research (Wiley, 1964).


Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation

Shadow of B. F. Skinner (positive reinforcement)– Rewards seen as universally

beneficial– Yet we’ve known for 25 years that (external)

rewards are detrimental to ...

Intrinsic motivation: underlies cyclical patterns of behavior where people seek out and conquer challenges that are optimal for their capacities

The Hidden Costs of Reward, ed. Lepper & Greene (L. Erlbaum, 1978)


Motivation II: Cognition Theory Cognition Theory

“OVERTHREW” Behaviorism by mid-20th Century

New focus on Mind, Perception And the Self (self-management,

self determination, self efficacy, etc...)

» Handbook of Motivation and Cognition, 3 vols.

– Ed. Sorrentino & Higgins (Guilford, 1986-96);» B. Weiner, Human Motivation (Sage, 1992);» R. Sperry, in Science of the Mind (1995), 35-49.


Motivation II to III: Approaches

Motivation Research Models– Individual differences– Situational variations– Interaction (individual X situation)

Maehr and Meyer, “Understanding Motivation…”

From “Scientific Management” to Human Relations– Needs hierarchy (Maslow)– Hygiene factors (Herzberg) – Theory Y (McGregor)


Motivation III: Creating Purpose and Meaning

– ... draws on the best from the past Motivation theory encompasses

cognition, consciousness, self, emotions, affiliation, and achievement

» Weiner, in Handbook of Motiv. & Cognition, I, 281-292.

For example: Quality (Deming), Empowerment (Kanter), Learning Organization (Senge), and Knowledge Management still use “motivation”


Motivation III Toolbox

– Since hierarchy and management power have eroded, the new tools are:

Mission (importance of the work)

Agenda Control (influence over own lives)

Share in Value Creation (entrepreneurship)

Learning (both individual and group)

Reputation (essential for professionals)» R. M. Kanter “New Managerial Work,” Harvard

Business Review, 1989.


Continued Reliance on“Motivation” by Business

Recognition and rewards are vital to a quality evaluation program

» T. Peters, Thriving on Chaos (Knopf, 1988), pp. 494-502.

Outstanding companies practice: security, high wages, cross-training, “ownership”

» J. Pfeffer, Competitive Advantage ... People (HBS, 1994).

Must manage motivation effectively via equity, availability, visibility, and rewards

» S. Kerr, Ultimate Rewards (Harvard Business, 1997).


Motivation: Weaknesses of the Theory Goal: Cause action (where there was

none)» Vroom, Work and Motivation, p. 8.

Incidental (not continuous) “Paternalistic:” energize & direct

behavior» Cofer & Appleby, pp. 12-13.

Linear, deterministic (i.e., behavioral)

Over-reliant on rewards


Motivation III: Current Practice

Retains heavy reliance on REWARDS, incentives and participation

» R. M. Steers, et al., Motivation and Leadership at Work. 6th Ed. (McGraw-Hill, 1996);

» T. Quick, The Manager’s Motivation Desk Book (Wiley, 1985);

» Crandall & Wallace, Work and Rewards in the Virtual Workplace (AMACOM, 1998), pp. 148-151.


The Problem with Rewards

Tangible and expected rewards undermine free-choice intrinsic motivation (findings of 128 studies)

Only exceptions:» Disagreeable tasks» Verbal feedback (recognition of

competence) if unexpected and “non-controlling”…

Deci, Koestner, & Ryan, “A Meta-analytic Review,”



Rewards

Rewards signal that the task itself is not worth

doing


Problem with Rewards: 2

Rewards require surveillance, competition, and evaluation, all of which diminish intrinsic motivation (kill interest)

Rewards also rupture relationships, disrupt teams, punish everyone else, and discourage risk-taking

A. Kohn, Punished by Rewards (H-Mifflin, 1993).

R. M. Steers, et al., Leadership and Motivation. (McGraw-Hill, 1986), pp. 496-526.


ENGAGEMENT:Dictionary Definition

to attract, hold by influence or power to entangle, entrap, engross to induce to participate, to join in to provide occupation for to commit to appear for an event to interlock, place in gear (mechanical) to enter into conflict (military) temporal (more than 1, less than

permanent)» Oxford English Dictionary, (1989), V, 247-249.


Engagement: Definitions from theLiterature of Motivation assumes activity is absorbing, engrossing implies enjoyment … and interest pertains to subject’s field of

competence requires direct participation involves acquiring more & better

knowledge demands significant self-determination involves challenging tasks is characterized by persistence


Engagement: Definitions from Learning Theory Self-determination (Deci & Ryan,

Bandura)

Creative task engagement (Conti)

Competence (Connell and Wellborn)

Context, personalization, choice (Cordova)

Interest, enjoyment, flow (Hidi, Csikszentmihalyi)

Self-reaction (Bandura and Cervone)

Self-regulated learning (Corno & Mandinach)– NOTE: focus is on learning goals, not

achievement goals.


The Engagement Model:Contributions Motivation Theory Learning Theory Activity-Engagement Systems

Theory – Action identification (Wegner/Vallacher)– Action engagement (Higgins/Trope)– Action theory (Kuhl/Atkinson)

Other ideas: communication, information management, and purposeful work


Activity Systems Theory

Psychological study of behavior is atomistic, focusing on pieces, elements

Much human activity, such as language and relationships and work processes, is broader, holistic, more purposeful

» Clark and Crossland, Action Systems (1985)

NOTE: Activity is assumed in engagement; it is a goal of motivation.


Engagement Theory:Other Contributions, #1: Relationships and process of

communication engaging the interests of another in the absence of coercion

Involves dialogue and introspection

Requires openness -- not closed and complete situation– [Engagement/inverse\authority]

» M. McMaster, Intelligence Advantage (1996).


Engagement Theory:Contributions, #2 By choosing to engage/not we

enjoy a tool and measure for information management; a scale for handling information overload:– passive (seeing, hearing)– discussion– presenting or teaching– using in practice

» T. Davenport, Information Ecology (Oxford, 1997).


Engagement Theory:Contributions, #3 Engagement in empowering work

gives purpose to human life, structures time, and provides a valuable tool for positive self-esteem and mental health

Meaningless work does not …» Mee and Sumsion, “The Motivating Power of

Occupation,” British Journal Occupational Therapy (March 2001): 121-128.


Organizational Engagement:Contributions, #4 Interaction between

–Social Systems (people)–Technical Systems (work

processes)–Communication Systems

(decision making and organization change)» Cherin, “Organizational Engagement…”

Administration in Social Work (2000» Also see Nonaka and Nishiguchi, Knowledge

Emergence (Oxford, 2001)


Not necessarily

Self-actualization

– Feelings of wholeness, integration, suspension of judgement, clear perception, sense of awe, feelings of power and beauty, self-confident, creative … without awareness of space and time - (Maslow)

Flow – Intense concentration, lack of self-

consciousness, effortlessness, oblivious of distraction

– Autotelic: process is the reward - (Csikszentmihalyi)

– Kytle, “Constructing an Engaged Life,” (2000)


But ratherMIDDLE RANGE DYNAMICS Attention, mindfulness (consider

options)» Ellen Langer, Mindfulness (1989)

Ba (Japanese) shared physical / mental space

» Nonaka & Ishigushi, Knowledge Emergence (2001)

Care: Fostered by: trust, active empathy, real help, lenient judgement, and courage– Destroyed by: bureaucracy,

competition, and punishment» G. von Krogh, “Care in Knowledge Management”

California Management Review (Spring ‘98)


ENGAGEMENT: The Theory

Engagement = Learning (Interest + Competence + Challenge + “Change”)

+ Involvement (Participation + “Hands on” + Commitment)

In a Social Context Increased Knowledge &

Effectiveness

ENGAGEMENT! = Learning...

Marcum, “Out with Motivation, In with Engagement,” National Productivity Review (1999).


Engagement vs. Motivation Goal: learning and greater

knowledge Assumes equality among

participants Assumes activity, and motivation Is ongoing, temporal Seeks meaning/care Holistic

Goal: initiate action

Protagonist assumes responsibility

Seeks control, influence

Incidental

Biological core

Atomistic, linear, deterministic


From Motivation to Engagement

However sophisticated, motivation endeavors seek to control and manipulate and are therefore unsuitable for managing knowledge workers.

An “engagement” mindset offers a more useful model for mutually beneficial working relationships with knowledge workers.


In Brief:

Motivation = control and manipulation

Engagement = learning and involvement in a social context


Rewards


doing


Implementing Engagement: Suggested

Guidelines Think partnerships, not “employees”

Scan for interests and competencies, not past records

Focus on achievements, not processes

Provide for continuous learning Test with challenges and

opportunities Negotiate projects, avoid

assignments


Engagement Guidelines(continued): Provide networked, participative

digital environment Dismantle boundaries; review and

restructure processes and procedures

Foster teamwork and collaboration Measure and improve morale Seek to build an environment (Ba)

that is both fun and purposeful


Management Models: Engagement Vs. MotivationLeader as coach and

facilitatorScrambling to keep up with

the pack

Running a tight shipLeader in control, giving

directions


Review

Motivation = control and manipulation (Baaad!)

Engagement = learning and involvement (GOOD!)


Rewards


doing


Engagement

Engagement occurs when an individual or group undertake tasks related to their interests and competence, learn about it continuously, participate freely with (equal) associates, immerse themselves deeply, and continue the task with persistence and commitment because of the value they attribute to the work.


ENGAGEMENT AND “DISCOVERY”

Discovery (definition):–Uncovering, disclosing, or bringing something to light for the first time


Discovery (learning) Strategies

Allow for initiative and self-direction

Allow choice in methods utilized Utilize new technologies Provide for work in teams Provide “room” for perseverance

and adaptation as competence is acquired

» Marcum, “From Information Center to Discovery System,” Journal of Academic Librarianship (2001).


Managing Discovery

An engaged staff offers the greatest potential for making discoveries and accomplishing important goals cost-effectively.


Good Luck … Jim Marcum

[email protected]

[email protected]

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