Which is the better motivator, the promise of rewards or the threat of punishment?
Iemand, eers gedink dit is ’n leier maar later het ek al hoe meer tot die besef gekom dat dit dalk ’n slagoffer is, vra bostaande vraag nou die dag op ’n internetforum.
Die regte antwoord is ewe belangrik vir leiers en volgelinge, want ek is daarvan oortuig dat alle leiers ook een of ander tyd met hierdie kwessie worstel. Veral as jy onder druk verkeer om ‘n taak af te handel of om jou verkoopspan die gegewe mylpaal te laat bereik.
Some leaders believe that when they engage in installing fear into their subordinates, they are doing their job. That if you make the potential bad apples afraid, they will not turn into real bad apples and secondly, that if something does go wrong you can say that at least you were trying.
Seth Godin believes that fear can be used as a tactic, but it’s almost never the end goal of the exercise. The problem with using it as a tactic is that it’s so easy to do; organisations almost always forget the real point of the exercise.
The key to making fear work is to be realistic with the consequences. Nicole Sforza, from Incentive Magazine, recommends that the consequences have meaning and that you follow through with them. There must be a clear explanation of what is expected and once that is laid out and agreed to, fear must only be used when expectations is not met.
The opposite side to motivation by fear is that it leaves subordinates more drained than before. A student wrote in a college term paper that wanting to achieve a goal just to avoid losing what we have, is not a goal that can motivate for a long period. It does not offer any promise of forward motion or accomplishment.
Uit eie ondervinding het ek geleer dat mense verskillend reageer op die motivering-deur-vrees-taktiek. Diegene wat moet skrik, skrik glad nie. Hulle dink dat dit vir die ander mense bedoel is en dat hulle punt- in-die-wind is. Diegene wat reeds voldoen aan die vereistes, en vir wie hierdie taktiek nie bedoel is nie, skrik hulle in ’n ander bloedgroep in en begin verwoed pille kou en onwillekeurige spiertrekkings openbaar.
Om ’n suksesvolle organisasie of selfs ’n gesonde gesin te bou, is motivering deur vrees of straf nie die gewenste hulpmiddel nie. Vrees is ’n emosie en in ’n atmosfeer waar vrees heers, gaan mense net nie hulle optimale funksioneringsvlak bereik nie.
Mark Dowd skryf in die Guardian: … guilt and fear are very limited in their appeal and, more often than not, only induce a great desire to turn away and carry on as before.
It’s important to remember that motivation by fear is by far the easiest way to motivate. But it still verges upon intimidation. Motivation by fear always results in inner anger against the person using the fear tactics.
Wat is dan die oplossing?
Dowd glo dat mense gelei moet word om eienaarskap vir iets te aanvaar. Of dit nou ’n projek, aardverwarming of die jaarlikse gesinsvakansie is, almal moet inkoop daarin. Hy noem dit the notion of stewardship.
Hy glo ook dat die opregtheid en voorbeeld van ’n leier die beste uit volgelinge haal.
Dalk is die antwoord heel eenvoudiger as wat ons wil dink?
Die antwoord is miskien in die bekende spreekwoord woorde wek, maar voorbeelde trek te vinde?
Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing. – Albert Schweitzer
The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority. – Kenneth Blanchard
Leadership: the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it. – Dwight D. Eisenhower
Image: Pixomar (FreeDigitalImages)
