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KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN
05-Aug-07, 14:41
I am trying to do some research online the now..... anyone fancy contributing....your thoughts and views greatly welcomed....

"When they are honest, most people admit that money is the main motivator for working"

does anyone agree/disagree have any comment to make??

Cheers :-)

Dadie
05-Aug-07, 14:53
work to live not live to work!

thefugitive1993
05-Aug-07, 14:57
I am trying to do some research online the now..... anyone fancy contributing....your thoughts and views greatly welcomed....

"When they are honest, most people admit that money is the main motivator for working"

does anyone agree/disagree have any comment to make??

Cheers :-)

Yes, the main motivator in as much as we all need to feed ourselves and take care of our physical needs/wants.

Unless you are independently wealthy some motivation must be financial, but there is also the challenge of "playing the game" , of being the best we can in a way that is tangible to ourselves and others.

Personally I am just counting the days until I am out!

golach
05-Aug-07, 15:04
"When they are honest, most people admit that money is the main motivator for working"
does anyone agree/disagree have any comment to make??
Cheers :-)
Agree to a certain extent, as a young newly wed with a family on the way then yes. we needed every penny I could earn.
But now later in life as a retired person, I have a job and I get payed, but now I do it for enjoyment, not to put food on the table or clothes on my children's backs. With the monies I get now, I use them to enjoy myself and spend them on frivolous things like shoes for Mrs G and her getting her hair done, being a simple chap I settle for the odd bottle of Real Ale now and again [lol]

KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN
05-Aug-07, 15:09
thanks for your replies.... I would say that I object to the statement as a whole..... once you break down and look at definitions of motivation and the different academic schools of thought I agree with your comments about there being a NEED to earn money with which to exist....especially as a young person/newly wed/starting family....

HOWEVER there is a difference between a DRIVE and a MOTIVE - we are driven to work as a means by which we exist..... we have motives that affect our behaviour and our work performance....

Money can be a motivator if we earn commission in our work or have performance related pay but can also be a demotivator if we are really poorly paid or we perceive ourselves to be getting paid maybe over the odds for a particular job in which case we become complacent and have a laissez faire attitude to work.......

So money drives us to work but when we do work do you think we work in the hope we will get paid more? or do we work for recognition, more responsibility? praise? thanks for a job well done? for pride???

thefugitive1993
05-Aug-07, 15:14
thanks for your replies.... I would say that I object to the statement as a whole..... once you break down and look at definitions of motivation and the different academic schools of thought I agree with your comments about there being a NEED to earn money with which to exist....especially as a young person/newly wed/starting family....

HOWEVER there is a difference between a DRIVE and a MOTIVE - we are driven to work as a means by which we exist..... we have motives that affect our behaviour and our work performance....

Money can be a motivator if we earn commission in our work or have performance related pay but can also be a demotivator if we are really poorly paid or we perceive ourselves to be getting paid maybe over the odds for a particular job in which case we become complacent and have a laissez faire attitude to work.......

So money drives us to work but when we do work do you think we work in the hope we will get paid more? or do we work for recognition, more responsibility? praise? thanks for a job well done? for pride???

Ah, you're playing with semantics now. In the sense that you asked the question. Money is the motivator, as to our perception of reward, self-worth etc, that's a whole nother thing!

jsherris
05-Aug-07, 15:15
Yes, I have to agree with Golach - when younger, it was imperative to work hard at the best job you could find/get and try to earn money for the family.
Personally speaking, now I'm older, I would rather have a job that I thoroughly enjoyed doing that paid a pittance, than work somewhere I didn't like for an extra £30 or so a week.

Mind, I have a hubby who works a good job, doing what he enjoys & that affords me to have a choice - if his job finished, then I'd go scrub loos if it meant that our quality of life wasn't compromised.

It's actually a minefield of a question, provoking many different responses given the point of life the individual is at, at a particular time.
And, being honest, I don't even work anymore! Which then leads me to think that my ideal job hasn't been invented yet maybe....... :lol:

Dadie
05-Aug-07, 15:15
thank yous seem to be non existant but critisism is plenty ...
disheartening:~(

thefugitive1993
05-Aug-07, 15:17
thank yous seem to be non existant but critisism is plenty ...
disheartening:~(

Who is being critical and who is failing in their thanks?

KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN
05-Aug-07, 15:18
THEFUGITIVE1993 ------ well sorry ( im stupid I dont even know what semantics are) well no im not really going into self worth etc.. the way you're talking I presume you'll me all clued up on Maslows hierarchy of needs..... in which you are right the motivation at the bottom of the hierarchy is for FOOD, DRINK, SEX etc and then the next level security so SHELTER and the basics there all of which we will be motivated by our need for money to achieve these but once these have been satisfied and we move up the hierarchy we are motivated by other things and right at the top self actualisation which our self worth etc comes in.

am I just talking nonsense.....??

thefugitive1993
05-Aug-07, 15:20
THEFUGITIVE1993 ------ well sorry ( im stupid I dont even know what semantics are) well no im not really going into self worth etc.. the way you're talking I presume you'll me all clued up on Maslows hierarchy of needs..... in which you are right the motivation at the bottom of the hierarchy is for FOOD, DRINK, SEX etc and then the next level security so SHELTER and the basics there all of which we will be motivated by our need for money to achieve these but once these have been satisfied and we move up the hierarchy we are motivated by other things and right at the top self actualisation which our self worth etc comes in.

am I just talking nonsense.....??

Yes and being verbose

KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN
05-Aug-07, 15:22
thank yous seem to be non existant but critisism is plenty ...
disheartening:~(

Dadie...what type of work do you do ??

I find that different industries have very different motivators.... this type of comment is like a satisfaction and dissatisfaction with work..... lack of praise and thanks is disheartening and so a demotivator - a sort of spiral all the managers or supervisors do is moan and you feel like you can never please so you bother less and less...... where as a little praise would motivate you to work harder/ perform better/ care more and so in turn criticism would be less.??

orkneylass
05-Aug-07, 15:22
I train people in motivational interviewing techniques for behaviour change based on diclemente and prochaska's cycle of change and a fundamental principle of this is that everyone is motivated all the time but in either direction e.g to lose weight or not to lose weight, to work or not to work. Another principle is that where that motivation comes from, the rationale for the persons choices, are individual to that person, and may change for any number of reasons.

golach
05-Aug-07, 15:24
THEFUGITIVE1993 ------ well sorry ( im stupid I dont even know what semantics are) well no im not really going into self worth etc.. the way you're talking I presume you'll me all clued up on Maslows hierarchy of needs..... in which you are right the motivation at the bottom of the hierarchy is for FOOD, DRINK, SEX etc and then the next level security so SHELTER and the basics there all of which we will be motivated by our need for money to achieve these but once these have been satisfied and we move up the hierarchy we are motivated by other things and right at the top self actualisation which our self worth etc comes in.

am I just talking nonsense.....??
Not sure where in Maslows hierarchy my motivation comes in, I would then say Shelter and Preservation for my family sometimes we went hungry, so I must be at the bottom of the ladder in the Hierarchy stakes but I always knew that anyway.

KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN
05-Aug-07, 15:24
Yes and being verbose

verbose?? what 's that all about??

KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN
05-Aug-07, 15:26
I train people in motivational interviewing techniques for behaviour change based on diclemente and prochaska's cycle of change and a fundamental principle of this is that everyone is motivated all the time but in either direction e.g to lose weight or not to lose weight, to work or not to work. Another principle is that where that motivation comes from, the rationale for the persons choices, are individual to that person, and may change for any number of reasons.

Exactly motivation concerns a persons choice, good or bad, of what to do, how hard to do it and how long they keep trying. Because circumstances change motivation changes and as Maslow decribes once the basic requirements of life are satisfied different motivational urges will arise to satisfy different expectations of life.

KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN
05-Aug-07, 15:29
Is this the model you are talking ab out orkney lass?? I have been studying it too!!

1. Precontemplative - unaware
Where you are not aware of any problems with the group's performance or do not associate them with your leadership style

2. Contemplative - thinking about it
Where you see performance and employee motivation linked to your leadership style, but cannot decide how best to react.

3. Preparation - doing homework
Where you start learning about different leadership styles, deciding what works for you and developing some skills.

4. Action - making it happen
Where you are looking for situations to develop your new leadership behaviours, looking to improve performance of the group.

5. Maintenance - focus on success
Where you seek feedback on the value of your leadership in meeting the social/emotional needs of the group. Negative feedback makes you revert to your old (more comfortable style). A Change Coach can be vital at this stage to help you maintain and develop your new style.

Ricco
05-Aug-07, 16:04
Money is important, yes, but perhaps the support and approval of your family and peers is greater. Money is of little avail when your are out on a limb by yourself.

orkneylass
05-Aug-07, 17:46
Is this the model you are talking ab out orkney lass?? I have been studying it too!!

1. Precontemplative - unaware
Where you are not aware of any problems with the group's performance or do not associate them with your leadership style

2. Contemplative - thinking about it
Where you see performance and employee motivation linked to your leadership style, but cannot decide how best to react.

3. Preparation - doing homework
Where you start learning about different leadership styles, deciding what works for you and developing some skills.

4. Action - making it happen
Where you are looking for situations to develop your new leadership behaviours, looking to improve performance of the group.

5. Maintenance - focus on success
Where you seek feedback on the value of your leadership in meeting the social/emotional needs of the group. Negative feedback makes you revert to your old (more comfortable style). A Change Coach can be vital at this stage to help you maintain and develop your new style.


Well, the context I work in is individual behaviour change so it goes like this:

Pre-contemplation - no interest in changing or no awareness that change is necessary or desirable, or a belief that change is impossible.

Contemplation - thinking about change but not yet actually doing anything about it - can see the pros and cons of change and the possibility of making changes

Preparation - taking steps towards change but not yet making the change - gathering information on ways of changing, sources of help and supprt, gathering equipment or resources to enable change, finding out what has worked for other people etc

Action - Making the change but having to work hard at it.

Maintenance - putting in the effort to keep the new behaviour going and not lapse into old habits - for some people the hardest part and for some, a lifelong commitment. Stopping smoking is a good example.

Relapse - taking a step backwards - this is a normal part of the change process and can be a valuable learning exercise - a chance to avoid triggers to lapsing in future or seek out further support or techniques to help ensure that future changes are maintained.

The model is often shown as a circle or a spiral. the stages don't necessarily happen neatly and in order although for the most part, contemplation and planning are more likely to make action successful and lead to stable maintenance.

porshiepoo
05-Aug-07, 17:56
THEFUGITIVE1993 ------ well sorry ( im stupid I dont even know what semantics are) well no im not really going into self worth etc.. the way you're talking I presume you'll me all clued up on Maslows hierarchy of needs..... in which you are right the motivation at the bottom of the hierarchy is for FOOD, DRINK, SEX etc and then the next level security so SHELTER and the basics there all of which we will be motivated by our need for money to achieve these but once these have been satisfied and we move up the hierarchy we are motivated by other things and right at the top self actualisation which our self worth etc comes in.

am I just talking nonsense.....??



Maslow also believed that we feel nothing when the first four level are achieved but rather have a feeling of anxiety if they're not achieved. I guess that's why some people achieve no further than the most basic of physiological needs - food, drink sex etc resulting in people unable to meet the need for morality, confidence, friendship, security etc etc.

Going by Maslows belief and his perception that people constantly need to immerse themselves with beautiful and/or pleasing surroundings, objects etc (consciously or sub consciously) paid work could obviously be the motivation for the end result.
However, how a person achieves the top level of Maslows theory - Self actualisation - is another matter which again determines what they will gain from that stage of life. i.e Those that have achieved it in a healthy fullfilling way and those that have achieved it in a selfish non-healthy way.

In answer to your original question Keep-On-Truckin: In this day in age unfortunately money is the quickest and often only way to meet the most basic of human needs. So with that in mind I would have to agree that in the majority of cases money would be the main motivator for working, to meet Pysiological, psychological and emotional needs.

DeHaviLand
05-Aug-07, 18:00
THEFUGITIVE1993 ------ well sorry ( im stupid I dont even know what semantics are) well no im not really going into self worth etc.. the way you're talking I presume you'll me all clued up on Maslows hierarchy of needs..... in which you are right the motivation at the bottom of the hierarchy is for FOOD, DRINK, SEX etc and then the next level security so SHELTER and the basics there all of which we will be motivated by our need for money to achieve these but once these have been satisfied and we move up the hierarchy we are motivated by other things and right at the top self actualisation which our self worth etc comes in.

am I just talking nonsense.....??

Well yes, but it may make sense if you used punctuation.

Tilter
05-Aug-07, 18:01
"When they are honest, most people admit that money is the main motivator for working"

does anyone agree/disagree have any comment to make??

Cheers :-)

Hey Keep On,
I have worked for the past 42 years (48 if you count Saturday jobs). I worked to feed me plus my children. That is the only reason I have ever worked. I've never enjoyed my work. I would have loved to be in a job I enjoyed but never could be bothered (or afford or had the drive) to gain the skills necessary for a job I would enjoy (actually, I still haven't figured out what I want to do when I grow up). However, since I have to spend one-third of each working day working, I figure I might as well make the best job I can of it and enjoy those aspects I do enjoy, enjoy the challenge of my little bits of problem solving and the satisfaction of finishing a (mundane) task, and not moan.

I could quit work now. In fact I think I will. I'm a bit scared of not getting the daily crack and colleague-banter, but I have to assume I'll get a new (unemployed) life, new interests, new friends and new crack. So upwards and onwards. I've never done a Munro and apparently there are hundreds out there.

You do have to admit there are often social aspects to working, not just the dosh.

KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN
05-Aug-07, 18:32
Thanks for that reply tilter......

Me personally......
I am a single person with no children, I AM driven by money but am not motivated by it.
My rationale....
recently I moved jobs , still in the same line of work but with a smaller firm 120 miles from where I was.
I am driven by money as I enjoy my independence and my ability to stand on my own two feet (i'm 24) I enjoy expensive hobbies, Horses mainly and enjoy driving a "flashy" (in the eye of the beholder - I know) car.
But I am NOT motivated by money , my move was to further my career, to develop as a person, to have a better quality of life, to work less hours, to have MORE responsibility and a desire to be a "somebody" in the industry I work in. An industry (agriculture) that I was not born into (ie not a farmers daughter) but an industry that I seem to have a desire to follow (and idolise?).

So yeah I like money - disposable income is a great thing until it's gone, but my main motivation is not money.

Tilter
05-Aug-07, 19:36
Keep On, you're cool.


Thanks for that reply tilter......
Me personally......
I am a single person with no children, I AM driven by money but am not motivated by it.
I thought "driven" and "motivated" meant same thing. Do I need to go to dictionary?

recently I moved jobs , still in the same line of work but with a smaller firm 120 miles from where I was.
I am driven by money as I enjoy my independence and my ability to stand on my own two feet (i'm 24)
Ooh I'd love to be 24.

I enjoy expensive hobbies, Horses mainly
Uh-huh. Just wish I could stay on one. Maybe when I retire?

and enjoy driving a "flashy" (in the eye of the beholder - I know) car.
Mmm. Don't understand but whatever floats your boat. (I just fantasize about a 61 Caddy in Caithness but that's as far as it goes. I usually drive a Fiesta, so I guess I do understand.)

But I am NOT motivated by money , my move was to further my career, to develop as a person, to have a better quality of life,
Go for it. I never had "developing as a person" per se, but it's just (adequate) words for an inner inexpressible-in-my-day thing.

to work less hours,
Ooh yes. Do that Keep On. It's the Path To Happiness In The Long Run.

to have MORE responsibility and a desire to be a "somebody" in the industry I work in. An industry (agriculture) that I was not born into (ie not a farmers daughter) but an industry that I seem to have a desire to follow (and idolise?). So yeah I like money - disposable income is a great thing until it's gone, but my main motivation is not money.
I understand where you're coming from. Agree. Good luck with the Agriculture. (I once kept sheep and pigs and poultrey and God know what, and guess what - they thrived! I was quite good at it as (an ex-townie) I listened to my farming peers and I read books on it - i.e., now Internet. SO all the best to you. How do you anticipate working less hours though?

horseman
05-Aug-07, 20:01
What an interesting outlook,(given your late disclosures)
May you end up winning the g'national an pulling the horse box with a bentley:roll:

Tilter
05-Aug-07, 20:09
What an interesting outlook,(given your late disclosures)
May you end up winning the g'national an pulling the horse box with a bentley:roll:

I'm lost. Please explain. Are you talking to me?

KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN
05-Aug-07, 20:22
I'm lost. Please explain. Are you talking to me?

haha no i think he was talking to me....but unfortunately a Bentley isn't my cup of tea...(range rover sport would do the trick though - haha) as for the national that's more my thing, one of my nags was originally a race horse out of Ireland, goes like the wind even at 20 years young!!!

Well motive and drive are debateable.......


drive maybe a subset of motive...... HUczynski & BUchannan (in Organizational Behaviour) would describe : Drives as innate, biological determinants of behaviour, activated by deprivation.

Motives are socially acquired needs activated by a desire for fulfilment.

Hope this helps explain where im coming from, money is the drive by which I will fullfil my motive....if I didnt have money it would be hard to have other motives is a common theory throughout the academic discussion on the matter!!