BUS52 psychological process discussion

BUS52 psychological process discussion
Motivation is the psychological process that arouses and directs behavior. There are three theories that will help us understand the motivation of employees in the workplace:
· Goal-setting theory suggests behavior can be motivated with specific, challenging goals that are obtainable. The key to goal-setting theory is ensuring employees understand what is expected and accept the goals.
· Self-efficacy is the belief in one’s personal ability to do a task. There is a lot to be said for scoring high in this trait. People who are confident about their ability tend to succeed, whereas those who doubt their ability tend to fail.
· Reinforcement theory explains how behavior can be altered by administering positive or negative consequences to actions of employees. Behavior with positive consequences tends to be repeated, and behavior with negative consequences tends not to be repeated.
Respond to the following:
· Take a moment to think about what it would take to motivate you to achieve your goals at work; which theory would you use and why?
· In reflecting on either an experience at work or with a family or friend, how can you motivate them to achieve the goals in their lives? Which motivational theory would you use and why?
Week 5 Discussion
We have all worked in a group or team at some point in our careers. A team is brought together to achieve a common goal. The team needs to have members who have complementary skills and who are committed to a common purpose to achieve performance goals. However, teams don’t move immediately toward performing, but instead evolve over time. There are five stages of group and team development:
1. Forming: Getting oriented and getting acquainted. High degree of uncertainty as members try to figure out who is in charge.
2. Storming: Personalities start to emerge, along with roles and conflicts within the group.
3. Norming: In the third stage conflicts are resolved, relationships developed, harmony and unity surfaces.
4. Performing: The members concentrate on solving problems and completing the assigned task.
5. Adjourning: Members prepare to disband. Some members may be reassigned, terminated from the group or the group is resolved.
Think about a time when you joined a new group—it could be at work, in a family setting, or with a social group.
Respond to the following:
· Which of the five stages was the most challenging for the group to work through, and why?
· How might you have helped the group work through that stage differently based upon what you know now about the five stages of group and team development?