Prof.dr. Otilia Stefania Pacurari, National Institute for Magistracy, Bucharest, 2014.

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TT – 1st Seminar “Professional development through supervision and intervision

10 GUIDING PRINCIPLES TO ENSURE MOTIVATON

IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

AT WORKPLACE

I. Framing the concept of motivation

I.1.Definition. Motivation is looked upon as an inner drive that generates an act, a behavior of a

certain manner. The inner conditions that give direction to behavior in adult life are wishes,

interests and goals. Motivation has been shown to have roots in physiological, behavioral,

cognitive, and social areas. Motivation may also be rooted in a basic impulse to optimize well-

being, minimize physical pain and maximize pleasure but the information below looks into the

motivational theories form the perspective of adult education and training at workplace.

The topic of motivation plays a central role in the field of supervision and intervision. It is the

engine and final scope of the institutional enterprise that aims at generating quality work in the

judiciary.

Prof.dr. Otilia Stefania Pacurari, National Institute for Magistracy, Bucharest, 2014.

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The word motivation derives from the Latin term for movement and it has been widely

acknowledged as a critical determinant of human behavior. Motivation affects the way in which

and to what extent we people utilize their skills and abilities at workplace. Unmotivated judges

and prosecutors are less willing to be cooperative and supportive, and they may decrease work

effort, time on the job, productivity, and performance. Thus, we need to motivate all the active

players in the judiciary.

To be successful in this job one has to be able to motivate others!

To this end, researchers are studying the factors that energize, direct, and sustain work related

behavior and one of the results of the research is that although organizations are designing

incentive systems to motivate employees, self-motivation is one of the most powerful ways to

get a job well done.

The Motivation Cycle

Motivation can be looked upon as a cycle where desire/ interests generate thoughts influence

behaviors and behaviors drive performance. Performance will impact thoughts and the cycle

becomes cyclic. The cycle is conditioned by attitudes, beliefs, effort, as they affect the amount

of motivation one has.

DESIRE

INTEREST

Beliefs THOUGHT

PERFORMANCE Attitude Effort

BEHAVIOR

Prof.dr. Otilia Stefania Pacurari, National Institute for Magistracy, Bucharest, 2014.

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I.2.Types of Motivation. For educational purposes, motivation is divided into two types:

intrinsic (internal) motivation and extrinsic (external) motivation.

Intrinsic motivation refers to motivation that is driven by an interest or enjoyment in the task

itself, and exists within the individual rather than relying on external pressures of any kind or a

desire for reward.. Intrinsic motivation is a natural motivational tendency and is a critical

element in cognitive, social, and physical development. Learners who are intrinsically motivated

are more likely to engage in the task willingly as well as in work to improve their skills, which

will increase their capabilities. Adult learners are likely to be intrinsically motivated if they:

attribute their developmental results to factors under their own control, also known as

autonomy;

believe they have the skills to be effective agents in reaching their desired goals, also

known as self-efficacy beliefs;

are interested in mastering a topic, not just in achieving recognition.

Extrinsic motivation refers to the performance of an activity in order to attain an outcome,

whether or not that activity is also intrinsically motivated. Extrinsic motivation comes from

outside of the individual. Common extrinsic motivations are rewards for showing the desired

behavior, and the threat of punishment following misbehavior. Competition is in an extrinsic

motivator because it encourages the performer to win and to beat others, not simply to enjoy the

intrinsic rewards of the activity. Social psychological research has indicated that extrinsic

rewards can lead to a reduction in intrinsic motivation. It is important to outline the fact that

another theory, the self-determination theory proposes that extrinsic motivation can be

internalized by the individual if the task fits with their values and beliefs.

Self-determination theory

This theory focuses on the degree to which an individual’s behavior is self-motivated and self-

determined. It identifies three innate needs that, if satisfied, allow optimal function and growth:

competence, relatedness, and autonomy. These three psychological needs motivate the self to

initiate specific behavior that are essential for psychological health and well-being. When these

needs are satisfied, there are positive consequences, such as well-being and growth, leading

people to be motivated, productive and content with themselves.

Prof.dr. Otilia Stefania Pacurari, National Institute for Magistracy, Bucharest, 2014.

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There are three essential elements to the theory:

Humans are inherently proactive with their potential and mastering their inner forces;

Humans have an inherent tendency towards growth, development and integrated

functioning;

Optimal development and actions are inherent in humans but they do not happen

automatically.

Generally, motivation is conceptualized as either intrinsic or extrinsic. Classically, these

categories were regarded as distinct. Today, these concepts are less likely to be used as distinct

categories, but instead as two ideal types that define a continuum within the framework of self-

determination.

II. Motivation in Adult Education

Motivation is of particular interest in adult education because of the crucial role it plays in

learning. Motivation in adult education can have several effects on how people learn and how

they behave towards a subject matter or in a professional role at workplace. It can:

1. Direct behavior toward particular goals;

2. Lead to increased effort and energy;

3. Increase initiation of, and persistence in, activities;

4. Enhance cognitive processing;

5. Determine what consequences are reinforcing;

6. Lead to improved performance

Although a person may be classed as highly intelligent as measured by many traditional

intelligence tests (IQ), they may remain unmotivated to pursue intellectual endeavors. Therefore,

a lot of research has been done and several theories have been framed to assist the developmental

processes in adult education and at workplace.

The selected theories stand at the foundation of the 10 guiding principles that are being put

forward through this conceptual framework.

Prof.dr. Otilia Stefania Pacurari, National Institute for Magistracy, Bucharest, 2014.

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1. THE INCENTIVE THEORY

WE LIVE IN A PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY

WITH STANDARDS, GIVE ME FEEDBACK TO GROW …

A reward is defined as a tangible or intangible act, presented after the occurrence of an action

(i.e. behavior) with the intention of causing the behavior to occur again. This is done by

associating positive meaning to the behavior. Studies show that if the person receives the reward

immediately, the effect is greater, and decreases as delay lengthens. Repetitive action-reward

combination can cause the action to become habit.

The reinforcement principles of behavior differ from the way in which a reward is constructed. A

reinforcer is any stimulus change following a response that increases the future frequency or

magnitude of that response. Positive reinforcement is demonstrated by an increase in the future

frequency or magnitude of a response due to in the past being followed contingently by a

reinforcing stimulus. Negative reinforcement involves stimulus change consisting of the removal

of an aversive stimulus following a response.

The Incentive theory in psychology treats motivation and behavior of the individual as they are

influenced by beliefs, such as engaging in activities that are expected to be profitable. The

Incentive theory is promoted by behavioral psychologists, such as B.F. Skinner, to mean that a

person's actions always have social ramifications: and if actions are positively received people

are more likely to act in this manner, or if negatively received people are less likely to act in this

manner.

When giving and receiving feedback at workplace the incentive theory should be considered

since both intangible rewards and reinforcement stimulus could be used. The psychological

impact of positive reception and negative reception of a professional behavior is powerful and

could determine the quality of further performance.

2. ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION

Prof.dr. Otilia Stefania Pacurari, National Institute for Magistracy, Bucharest, 2014.

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IT IS ME WHO IS DOING THE JOB!

Achievement motivation is an integrative perspective based on the premise that performance

motivation results from the way broad components of personality are directed towards

performance. As a result, it includes a range of dimensions that are relevant to success at work

but which are not conventionally regarded as being part of performance motivation. The

emphasis on performance seeks to integrate formerly separate approaches as need for

achievement with. Personality is intimately tied to performance and achievement motivation,

including such characteristics as tolerance for risk, fear of failure, and others.

Achievement motivation was studied intensively by David C. McClelland, John W. Atkinson

and their colleagues since the early 1950s. Their research showed that successful endeavors was

attained by people with a high need to achieve no matter the culture. There are three major

characteristics of people who have a great need to achieve according to McClelland’s research.

1. They would prefer a work environment in which they are able to assume responsibility

for solving problems.

2. They would take calculated risk and establish moderate, attainable goals.

3. They want to hear continuous recognition, as well as feedback, in order for them to know

how well they are doing.

3. THE GOAL SETTING THEORY

Prof.dr. Otilia Stefania Pacurari, National Institute for Magistracy, Bucharest, 2014.

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IF I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS EXPECTED OF

ME WHAT IS THE USE OF LEARNING?

Goal-setting theory is based on the notion that adult learners have a drive to reach a clearly

defined end state. Adults are highly motivated by clear goals. It takes them out of the state of

insecurity and confusion that are effective de-motivators. Often, this end state is an incentive in

itself. A goal's efficiency is affected by three features: proximity, difficulty and specificity. Good

goal setting incorporates the SMART criteria, in which goals are: specific, measurable, accurate,

realistic, and timely. An ideal goal should present a situation where the time between the

initiation of behavior and the end state is close. A goal should be moderate, not too hard nor too

easy to complete. In both cases, most adults are not optimally motivated, as many want a

challenge (which assumes some kind of insecurity of success). At the same time adults want to

feel that there is a substantial probability that they will succeed. Specificity concerns the

description of the goal in their class. The goal should be objectively defined and intelligible for

the individual. A classic example of a poorly specified goal is to get the highest possible grade.

Most children have no idea how much effort they need to reach that goal.

4. THE ATTRIBUTION THEORY

Prof.dr. Otilia Stefania Pacurari, National Institute for Magistracy, Bucharest, 2014.

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IT IS NOT ME IT IS SOMEONE ELSE’S FAULT… IT IS MY MISTAKE, I CAN

SEE THAT…

A form of attribution theory developed by psychologist, Bernard Weiner describes an

individual’s beliefs about how the causes of success or failure affect their emotions and

motivations. Individuals formulate explanatory attributions to understand the events they

experience and to seek reasons for their failures. When individuals seek positive feedback from

their failures, they use the feedback as motivation to show improved performances. For example,

using the intrapersonal perspective, a student who failed a test may attribute their failure for not

studying enough and would use their emotion of shame or embarrassment as motivation to study

harder for the next test. A student who blames their test failure on the teacher would be using the

interpersonal perspective, and would use their feeling of disappointment as motivation to rely on

a different study source other than the teacher for the next test.

5. APPROACH VERSUS AVOIDANCE MOTIVATION

I AVOID THE FEELING OF LOSS, I HAVE

MY STRATEGIES…

Approach motivation is a motivation to experience a positive outcome. In contrast, avoidance

motivation is a motivation not to experience a negative outcome. Research suggests that

avoidance motivations tend to be more powerful than approach motivations. Because people

expect losses to have more powerful emotional consequences than gains, they will take more

risks to avoid a loss than to achieve a gain.

III. Specific workplace motivation issues and the JC MODEL

An adult professional must be motivated to work in any organization. If no motivation is

present, then the quality of work will deteriorate. Supervision, intervision, mentoring,etc. are

Prof.dr. Otilia Stefania Pacurari, National Institute for Magistracy, Bucharest, 2014.

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processes that are meant to ensure the motivational factors that differ since there is the so called

locus of control. This variable refers to the professional's beliefs about the location of the factors

that control their behavior. At one end of the continuum are those who believe that the

opportunity to control their own behavior rests within themselves. At the other end of the

continuum there are those who believe that external forces determine their behavior. When

motivating professionals, whatever the institutional strategy, there needs to be considered the

personality types. Logical appeals, emotional appeals, advice and praise and sometimes pressure,

ranking should be considered.

Job characteristics model

The job characteristics model, as designed by Hackman and Oldham attempts to use job design

to improve employee motivation. They show that any job can be described in terms of five key

job characteristics:

1. Skill Variety - the degree to which the job requires the use of different skills and talents

2. Task Identity - the degree to which the job has contributed to a clearly identifiable larger

project

3. Task Significance - the degree to which the job has an impact on the lives or work of

other people

4. Autonomy - the degree to which the employee has independence, freedom and discretion

in carrying out the job

5. Task Feedback - the degree to which the employee is provided with clear, specific,

detailed, actionable information about the effectiveness of his or her job performance

As consequence, a motivating potential score (MPS) can be calculated, using the core

dimensions discussed above, as follows:

Prof.dr. Otilia Stefania Pacurari, National Institute for Magistracy, Bucharest, 2014.

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Jobs that are high in motivating potential must be high on at least one of the three factors that

lead to experienced meaningfulness, and also must be high on both Autonomy and Feedback. If a

job has a high MPS, the job characteristics model predicts that motivation, performance and job

satisfaction will be positively affected and the likelihood of negative outcomes, such as

absenteeism and turnover, will be reduced.

Adult Professional Recognition Programs

The adult professional recognition is not about gifts and points. It's about the institutional

culture to meet goals and initiatives and most importantly to connect employees to the courts and

prosecutor’s offices core values and beliefs.

IV. Motivational Foundations

Probably, any context based motivational theory should be rooted down to Maslow’s theory

about the Hierarchy of Needs since direction of any action or behavior is influenced by what the

American motivation psychologist has classified in a pyramid. According to Maslow, people are

motivated by unsatisfied needs. The needs, listed from basic (lowest-earliest) to most complex

are as follows:

Prof.dr. Otilia Stefania Pacurari, National Institute for Magistracy, Bucharest, 2014.

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Physiology (hunger, thirst, sleep, etc.)

Safety/Security/Shelter /Health

Belongingness/Love/Friendship

Self-esteem/Recognition/ Achievement

Self actualization

The basic requirements build upon the first step in the pyramid: physiology. If there are deficits

on this level, all behavior will be oriented to satisfy this deficit. Essentially, if you have not slept

or eaten adequately, you won't be interested in your self-esteem desires. Subsequently we have

the second level, which awakens a need for security. After securing those two levels, the motives

shift to the social sphere, the third level. Psychological requirements comprise the fourth level,

while the top of the hierarchy consists of self-realization and self-actualization.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory can be summarized as follows:

Prof.dr. Otilia Stefania Pacurari, National Institute for Magistracy, Bucharest, 2014.

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Human beings have wants and desires which influence their behavior. Only unsatisfied

needs influence behavior, satisfied needs do not.

Needs are arranged in order of importance to human life, from the basic to the complex.

The person advances to the next level of needs only after the lower level need is at least

minimally satisfied.

The further the progress up the hierarchy, the more individuality, humanness and

psychological health a person will show.

Another motivation theorist, Frederick Herzberg's in the two-factor theory concludes that certain

factors in the workplace result in job satisfaction, but if absent, they don't lead to dissatisfaction

but no satisfaction. The factors that motivate people can change over their lifetime, but "respect

for me as a person" is one of the top motivating factors at any stage of life.

He distinguished between:

Motivators; (e.g. challenging work, recognition, responsibility) which give positive

satisfaction, and

Hygiene factors; (e.g. status, job security, salary and fringe benefits) that do not motivate

if present, but, if absent, result in demotivation.

V. The process of training at workplace becomes effective if the training program and the

human interactions are set up according to those premises that enhance motivation.

Prof.dr. Otilia Stefania Pacurari, National Institute for Magistracy, Bucharest, 2014.

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Therefore, here are THE 10 GUIDING PRINCIPLES that could be applied in order to

ensure motivation at workplace in the process of professional development:

1. Incentives always work.

2. Personality is tied to performance and achievement.

3. Adults are highly motivated by clear goals.

4. Individuals formulate explanatory attributions to understand the events they

experience and to seek reasons for their failures.

5. For adult professionals losses have more powerful emotional consequences than

gains so they will take more risks to avoid a loss than to achieve a gain.

6. Skill variety, task identity and significance, autonomy, feedback are the key elements

in on job training design.

7. The adult professional should be in a recognition program that is value and belief

oriented.

8. Respect me as a person is at the bases of any interaction at workplace.

9. Personal needs should not be neglected whatever the context of

supervison/intervision/ mentoring.

10. Self-determination, self-evaluation, self-oriented processes are most effective.

Bibliography

1. Brian Tracy, Motivation, www.amazonbooks.org

2. Daniel H. Pink, Drive, www.amazonbooks.org

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Motivation, Academy of Management Review, 29-3

4. E.Herzberg,( 1968) One More Time: How do you motivate employees, Harvard Business

Review.

5. Taylor, J. Rodney,( 1982) Lifelong Learning: The Adult Years, v5 n5 p8-9,30.

6. McClelland, D. C. (1987). Human motivation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Prof.dr. Otilia Stefania Pacurari, National Institute for Magistracy, Bucharest, 2014.

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7. Mas McClelland, D. C., & Boyatzis, R. E. (1982). Leadership motive pattern and long-

term success in management. Journal of Applied Psychology, 67, 737-743. low, H. A.

(1987).

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9. Weiner, B. (1981). Theories of Motivation: From Mechanism to Cognition. Markham

Publishing Company

10. Hackman, J. R. & Oldham, G. R. (2005). How job characteristics theory happened. The

Oxford handbook of management theory: The process of theory development, 151-170.