1st reponse:
Questions 1: Based on McClellands Need Theory, which is the most important for me at this time in my career?
At this point in my career, I have a need for achievement. The need for power has never really appealed to me because positions of power carry a lot of responsibility, and I dont enjoy the prospect of being blamed for other peoples negative behavior or mistakes. While leadership is important, sometimes the level of responsibility for others seems excessive and time-consuming to me. A need for affiliation is closely behind my need for achievement, because feeling ostracized is detrimental to my motivation at work, and affects my quality of work since I dont feel included or appreciated. Since I have a high reward response motivation, this is why I need achievement more than anything. Even if I dont receive a reward per se, accomplishing a task, crossing an item off a check list, improving myself, or helping some one else, drives me. Potentially receiving a monetary bonus, promotion, or recognition is simply extra incentive for me to do well.
Question 2: Were the results of the survey surprising to you or what you initially suspected they would be?
These results are what I expected they would be, and nothing seemed out of line in the description of me. I have a drive for completing important tasks, but often dont feel driven if a task doesnt feel important enough. I wrote something very similar to this in my SLP for module 1. Even how I organize myself around tasks depends on how important I think they are. I also actively seek out activities that make me happy. The examples given in the test were not great examples for my personality type; they said hanging out at parties or thrill seeking through sports. I would consider things like crafting or playing video games far more enjoyable. This also said I tend to be fairly impulsive. I see this in my personality when an idea strikes me seemingly out of nowhere. I will pursue that idea to completion and not let it go. I am highly motivated by seeking reward for my behavior, and will complete difficult tasks when rewards are available. This is true of me, especially in a monetary sense. Lastly, I am motivated to avoid things I dont like, attempt to escape punishment or pain, and sometimes feel nervous.
Question 3: How are these or other various tools to improve employee engagement and increase work productivity measured at your company?
Our company measures productivity with annual employee reviews that individuals go over with their supervisors. One additional tool that has been recently implemented is a goal setting tool used in our HR Sharepoint site. Each individual is instructed to enter at least 3 goals for the year, which can be a combination of personal and professional goals, that are reviewed by a supervisor before they are approved. Employees are instructed to write their goals as SMART goals so that they are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based (Organizational Behavior, 2017). This increases chances of the goals being reached. At the end of the year the employee and supervisor review the goals set and accomplished for the year and use this as part of annual reviews.
2nd response:
Hello,
Questions 1: Currently, my most important need according to McClelland’s Need Theory is the need for power. I’ve accomplished my goals that I have set up for myself when I enlisted in the Air Force and received several awards in the process. At this point in my career, its either stay in middle management and have minimal impact or move up the ranks to advance into higher leadership roles.
Questions 2: The test results described me as having a strong drive to accomplish tasks that I have set up myself, or by others, however I am very motivated by seeking reward for my behavior, I fully agree with this assessment. I find myself more altruistic in my personal life, but when it comes to work, I expect a reward for doing anything extra that’s outside my normal duties. People shouldn’t work additional hours or take on more responsibilities without proper compensation from their employer. “Money not only helps people attain their basic needs but is also instrumental in providing upper-level need satisfaction. Employees often see pay as a reflection of how management views their contribution to the organization.” (Luthans, 2015).
Question 3: Our office uses many recognition based tools to identify best performers or good one time incidents. There are also monthly, quarterly, and yearly awards that identify best performers in a certain period of time. The military has many avenues to recognize somebody, we have ribbons which you can earn for moving to a different base, getting marksman with a rifle/handgun, volunteering, deploying, etc. We also do annual performance reports, which capture your productivity for the year. These reports get collected and are racked and stacked, individuals who were deemed better performers would receive additional points towards their promotion testing for next cycle. I believe the military has mastered the “need for achievement”.
