How Can You Motivate Knowledge Workers?

How Can You Motivate Knowledge Workers?

In the current 'knowledge era', the question what motivates knowledge workers, and, being a manager, how you should motivate and manage them is important.
In their article "The Progress of Small Wins" in HBR May 2011, Professor Theresa M. Amabile and researcher Steven J. Kramer are reporting interesting findings and formulate a principle.
By the way, this principle reminded me strongly of above summarized Expectancy Theory (1964) of Victor Vroom (the article itself does not mention this).
According to Amabile and Kramer what motivates knowledge workers is surprisingly simple: the sense of making progress in meaningful work (they call this the Progress Principle).
In this Progress Principle, 3 elements are important:
1. Sense (similar to Vroom's Expectancy)
2. Making Progress (similar to Vroom's Instrumentality)
3. Meaningful (similar to Vroom's Valence)
According to the authors 'this sense of making progress is fundamental to human nature, but few managers understand it or know how to leverage progress to boost motivation'. This while even limited progress (or lack thereof) can already boost (or decrease) morale and engagement and make them more (or less) productive!
Chances are that you, being a member of 12manage, are managing several or even many knowledge workers. What should you do? Quite simply: support this progress. How?
This part of the article I liked most. Interestingly, the authors distinguish between:
- 'Catalysts' (actions that support work): setting clear goals, allowing autonomy, providing enough resources and time, helping with the work, openly learning from problems and successes, and allowing a free exchange of ideas. Beware of the negative counterpart of catalysts, 'Inhibitors', such as failing to provide support and actively interfering with the work.
- 'Nourishers' (actions that support the person): respect, recognition, encouragement, emotional comfort, opportunities for affiliation. Beware of the negative counterpart of nourishers, 'Toxins', such as disrespect, discouragement, disregard for emotions, and interpersonal conflict.

		Comments Sort by date Sort by rating Rating
		2 G.J. Bouwman Business Consultant, Netherlands
	Knowledge Workers Motivate Themselves A Dutch book I like is "Leidinggeven aan professionals? Niet doen." (Ed: Leading professionals? Don'... Sign up

		0 Gustavo Ruiz HR Consultant, Spain
	Bucks and Rush on Motivating Knowledge Workers Where is the money? Many knowledge workers tell the boss: "show me the money". This is one of the un... Sign up

		0 Nelson Hernandez Manso, Spain
	Be a Leader.. If somebody ask for the money, don't take it. I am with Bouwman: knowledge raise, power in company..... Sign up

		2 CARLOS EDUARDO RODRIGUES Manager, Brazil
	The Candle Experiment In this video Dan Pink says for 21st century tasks, the mechanistic, reward-and-punishment approach ... Sign up

		0 barhoumi chawki Coach, France
	Motivation of Knowledge Workers If we understand the expectancies of (knowledge) workers, we can realize the objectives of the firm.... Sign up

		0 Madan Gopal Agarwal Business Consultant, India
	There is Nothing like Self-motivation Firstly, many workers are knowledge workers, so the scope is very wide. Secondly, there is nothing ... Sign up

		2 Mrs c usha rani Professor, India
	Motivational Factors Knowledge, attitude and hard work are key terms for success. In addition to these, spiritual managem... Sign up

		2 Daniel Carriere Project Manager, Netherlands
	Intrinsic Motivation is Possible Higher educated people are very able to motivate themselves. You as their leader should facilitate i... Sign up

		0 prasad Professor, India
	Vrooms Theory and Motivating Knowledge Workers This entire thing about motivation smells of that Theory X belief. I think it is a fictional thing. ... Sign up

		0 joko triyono Director, Indonesia
	The Art of Being a Leader Vroom's theory is more specific than Maslow or Herzberg. We can apply it effectively with a direct ... Sign up

		2 farhadjabeen Shaikh India
	Career Enhancement I believe knowledge workers always want more from their work, more autonomy, variety, and challenges... Sign up

		2 Alexander N. Raikov Director, Russian Federation
	Group Lobbing as a Motivation Money and rush are important nowadays for knowledge creation. But they are only a necessary conditio... Sign up

		1 Tony Nasirembe Management Consultant, Kenya
	Motivating Knowledge Workers In a knowledge worker environment, motivation is driven by empowerment and release. Control and puni... Sign up

		-2 Ramakrishnan Professor, India
	Balance Between Body, Mind and Soul It is immaterial whether one is a knowledge worker or a skilled worker. Basically he or she is an in... Sign up

		4 Per Ola Post, Sweden
	Cultural Factors in Motivating Knowledge Workers Very often we face books written in the US explaining how the human behaviour is. I am often struck ... Sign up

		2 ADENIJI ADETUNJI Accountant, Nigeria
	Motivation for Result A motivated staff member, driven by his needs, will no doubt be a productive employee. Managers need... Sign up

		2 Inna Borodina Russian Federation
	Distinguish Stimulus and Motive Motive is not the same as a stimulus. Money is a stimulus. A motive is a "real" perpetuum mobile. I... Sign up

		2 Jacob Andrews Entrepreneur, United Arab Emirates
	Motivation Differs for Everyone There is no single universally accepted definition of motivation. It is a state of mind and it diffe... Sign up

		3 J. D. Popham, China
	How Can You Motivate Workers? Background: I teach, in English, a management course & an intro stats course to Chinese students at ... Sign up

		5 Natarajan Ramanathan, India
	Motivating Knowledge Workers Due to space constraints, let me just put bullet points: A. Knowledge is like water - it will go an... Sign up

		2 Nelson Hernandez Manso, Spain
	Then... Managing is an Art Wonderful! A lot of knowledge, a lot of people to understand and motivate, including the manager. I... Sign up

		2 David J. MacCoy Management Consultant, Canada
	Fostering the Context, Rewards and Recognition Knowledge workers from information technology, financial services, scientific research, engineering ... Sign up

		3 ANTONIO BARRANCO RUIZ Director, Spain
	Motivating Knowledge Workers There are approximately 17 theories on motivation. The expectancy theory of Vroom is one of the fiv... Sign up

		0 Miguel S. Cordovez, Philippines
	Motivation of a Knowledge Worker Provide a clear and definitive motive or reason to take action.... Sign up

		0 bliss ogbanga, Nigeria
	Extrinsic Motivation The varying shades of opinions from different contributors on Vroom's expectancy theory make the deb... Sign up

		4 David Whitfield Professor, United States
	6 Sources of (Individual) Motivation From reading Wlodkowski and McGregor, I believe motivation is owned by the individual; it comes from... Sign up

		1 KATHRYN STEINER, MBA Entrepreneur, United States
	How Can You Motivate Workers? People do need to be nourished as Editor included, to be inspired as Bliss indicated, ultimately "ac... Sign up

		1 Lloyd Madzokere Student (Other), Zimbabwe
	Motivation of Knowledge Workers Knowledge workers can be motivated by the work environment and the business culture of the organisat... Sign up

		1 KATHRYN STEINER, MBA Entrepreneur, United States
	Motivation of Knowledge Workers Yes, the work environment is a major motivating factor, in addition to the business culture of the o... Sign up

		3 ANTONIO BARRANCO RUIZ Director, Spain
	Positive and Negative Reinforcement The real reinforcement is the positive one, because it is the only thing that makes people feel spec... Sign up

		5 Gary Wong Consultant, Canada
	Knowledge Workers are Motivated to Live, Love, Learn, and Leave a Legacy @Dr Ramakrishnan: In 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, we add Heart to Body, Mind, and Soul. Step... Sign up

		0 KATHRYN STEINER, MBA Entrepreneur, United States
	Heart Relates to Body, Mind, and Soul and Reducing Toxins and Inhibitors @Gary Wong: I found your comments interesting, particularly the leave a legacy, spiritual intelligen... Sign up

		2 Gary Wong Consultant, Canada
	Making a Contribution as a Source of Motivation @Kathryn Pawley Steiner: I like your connection of the Heart with eliminating toxins and inhibitors,... Sign up

		0 Howie Management Consultant, Australia
	Circular Arguments and Impossible Demands on Managers... Again! @Madan Gopal Agarwal: Yes and this task is huge and the capacities for managers to do this are large... Sign up

		1 KATHRYN STEINER, MBA Entrepreneur, United States
	Motivating Knowledge Workers is Applicable to my Current Project The manager on our new project has been asking what motivates me, making this discussion immediately... Sign up

		2 Ralph Cagna Entrepreneur, United States
	Provide Climate for Motivation @Jacob Andrews: As a former military officer, we were exposed to several theories of leadership and ... Sign up

		1 ANTONIO BARRANCO RUIZ Director, Spain
	Provide the Climate for Motivation @Ralph Cagna: I am thoroughly agreeing with you. A leader or manager may create special conditions i... Sign up