What are the components of motivation and which is most important?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Motivation, even when coupled with a capacity and opportunity to perform, does not ensure high performance. What the manager really wants is motivation that results in more or different behaviors. Direction must be considered, so the employee has the opportunity to choose a path that leads to the behavior management desires. If direction is unclear, the employee may choose a direction that is opposite management's intentions. Intensity deserves consideration, because while two employees may engage in the same behavior, one may do it much better, or with greater commitment than the other. Management must try to motivate performance that achieves an acceptable and sustainable level of effort. Finally, management generally hopes to motivate performance that will last for a certain period-whether permanent or short term. The challenge becomes finding a way to keep people behaving as desired and for as long as necessary. The three components are interwoven, and each is necessary to prompt predictable performance outcomes. None is more important than the others because of this interaction.