Motivation & Managing by Objective
The core relationship between employee and manager is the cause for the emergence of much-debated aspects in organizational atmosphere over ages. As per Vroom (1964), production levels will be at a top-notch in any organization once the management identifies and work on the employee's motivational needs (Wairimu, JI 2014). A manager is expected to ensure honoring the motivation of employees during the management process (Mackenzie, n.d.). It is evident that as per figure 1.0 that a manager must oversee the team by influencing the employees to get the job done, motivating, creating an environment that makes employees work efficiently and put forth their best effort (Samson and Daft, 2012).
Figure 1.0: Management process
Source: (Samson and Daft, 2012)
It is evident and vivid that when are the organizational goals are established and the role of employees in achieving them by the management process aforementioned. Peter Drucker recommends that goals and objectives of organization could not be applied to subordinates directly, but it should be planed mutually with the involvement of the top management (Ashfaq, M 2018). Developed by Peter Drucker, the MBO/ Management by Objective has evolved to be a firm strategic management tool helping managers to set and achieve forward looking goals (Ashfaq, M 2018). However, in MBO the objectives should be S.M.A.R.T, i.e., specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound (Francis, F 2018). As per Fisher (2009), MBO start with forming/planning the organizational goals and then stimulate these goals at all level of the organization, by the division to achieving the set objectives (Ashfaq, M 2018). In order to effectively implement this tool, Khanan (1995) says, the managers are required to instill a high sense of engagement in their employees; secondly control and coordinate employee efforts towards achieving the set goals; and, thirdly, help employees to fulfil their potential to enable their greater contributions (Francis, F 2018). According to the model, having a say in goal setting and action plans encourages motivation, participation and commitment among employees, as well as aligning objectives across the organization. It further enhances better communication between management and employees. A summary on the basics of MBO is as in video 1.0.
Video 1.0: MBO for Managers
Source: Gregg Learning
MBO Key features
Management by objectives outlines six key features that organizations implement to put the management technique into practice (Uduji, J 2013).
Organizational or departmental goals are jointly set by the manager and his supervisor.
Long-term goals are translated into a chain of specific, interrelated, short-term goals.
The manager is given adequate authority to act.
There is continual guidance of the subordinate by the superior.
There is continual review of accomplishment by both the Subordinate and the Superior.
- Contribution towards goal-achievement serves as sole basis of subordinate reward.
Employee drawbacks
Uduji (2013), proposed four primary reasons, for why employees don’t take organizational objectives on a serious note eventually ending up with less motivation and less productivity (Ashfaq, M 2018).
Organizational objectives are not shared with employees
Objectives are not implemented and practical
Inadequate supervision provides to subordinates
Subordinates contribution are not auxiliary to getting rewards
Therefore, it is evident that employees who participates in MBO, knows exactly what the organizational expectations are and by actively participating in the process enhances their motivation, engagement and morale ( Uduji, J 2013).
The organization I work for uses MBO model to evaluate performance. It is vividly manifested that this method provides employees the opportunity to analyze the set objectives and give feedback on the practicality of achieving the SMART goals within the real time working context. Goals set by head office situated in another country is likely to show a full scale understanding of the working environment of another region or country. The background support needed to achieve those objectives differ greatly network wide. MBO model helps highlight those challenges and redesign them adding a practical sense to it. While the action plans are established, employees get the opportunity to align them to their own. That way organizational goals are achieved together with personal growth and for those who do not pursue any personal growth by any means, this paves a clear way to be innovative and thereby be motivated. MBO performance evaluation also helps employees to understand their weaknesses and both personal and operational, thereby request engagement in training and development deemed necessary.
References
Ashfaq, M 2018,’ Managing by Objectives (MBO) and Government Agencies: A Critical Review’, European Journal of Business and Management, vol 10, no 28, P 1-5., viewed 03 December 2020.
Francis, Felix 2018,’ Management by Objectives (MBO) as an Instrument for Organizational Performance of Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria’, European Journal of Business and Management, vol 10, no 26, p 1-7., viewed on 03 December 2020.
Mackenzie, A., n.d. The Management Process In 3-D. [online] Harvard Business Review, viewed 03 December 2020.
<https://hbr.org/1969/11/the-management-process-in-3-d>
Samson, D. and Daft, R., 2012. The Process of Management And The Four Management Functions,Intranet.ecu.edu.au, viewed 03 December 2020. <https://intranet.ecu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/754099/The-process-of-management-and-the-four-management-functions.pdf>
Uduji, Joseph 2013, ‘Management by Objective: An Imperative factor for Shaping the Salesforce Morale’, European Journal of Business and Management, vol 5, no 17, p 1-10., viewed 03 December 2020.
Wairimu, JI 2014,’ The Relationship between Management styles and Workforce Motivation in Kenya’, European Journal of Business and Management, vol 6, no 33. p 1-8., viewed on 03 December 2020.
Management process and employee engagement
