There are a few theories revolving around the idea of motivation in a work place. However, of the theories the Goal Setting theory, which was postulated by Edwin Locke, holds the most pervasive argument I believe. It is easy to assume that setting goals increases the level of motivation within an individual. By analyzing this theory in other contexts of workplaces as well as daily life, it becomes clearer as to why this theory works. “According to Locke there are four main ways to motivate someone. By directing their attention to it, adjusting the amount of effort used to achieve said goal, and creating a sense of perseverance” (langton, 2016). When all of these factors come together, they create a situation for a goal-oriented person
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A clearly defined goal will increase the effectiveness of employees in certain aspects. Along with a goal being clear there are a few other ingredients involved in making a goal more realistic. SMART is an acronym for “Specific, measurable, attainable, result-oriented, and time bound” (langton, 2016). A goal cannot be ambiguous; the participant should aware of what he or she needs to accomplish. Also “the participant should be able to keep track of their progress” (langton, 2016), this makes the goal measureable. “It is imperative that the goal not be difficult to a point where the participant cannot accomplish it” (langton, 2016). Some may argue that a goal that is seemingly hard to reach, will act as a deterrent. Creating a structurally sound goal that is not aggressive can mitigate this. The goal should work towards a collective objective, “While in a workplace the goal should be relevant to the context of what the organization wishes to accomplish” (langton, 2016). Finally “the goal should be timely, meaning it should be completed before the predetermined deadline, adding a sense of urgency” (langton, 2016). Other sources can also corroborate the effectiveness of deadlines. “When a deadline is on the horizon the employee will factor that into the amount of energy put into the task, thus indirectly increasing his or her effectiveness” (Lunenburg). Overall setting “SMART” goals can engage …show more content…
An example is school, I am constantly setting goals to make sure that all of my homework assignments are done on time and that I am never late for class. But it extends further into my daily life as well, I am always setting goals to eat healthy and read more books instead of watching TV. The reason I am able to vouch for the goal setting theory is because it has a quality of clarity that entices me to become proactive. Previous experiments with this type of goal setting allowed me to realize that by thoughtfully planning my goals out it adds a feeling of excitement and eagerness, as opposed to a feeling of deterrence when I was pursuing a vaguely set goal. After doing this assignment I realized that I participate in a considerable amount of goal setting, and it is refreshing to see that online research can support this
A clearly defined goal will increase the effectiveness of employees in certain aspects. Along with a goal being clear there are a few other ingredients involved in making a goal more realistic. SMART is an acronym for “Specific, measurable, attainable, result-oriented, and time bound” (langton, 2016). A goal cannot be ambiguous; the participant should aware of what he or she needs to accomplish. Also “the participant should be able to keep track of their progress” (langton, 2016), this makes the goal measureable. “It is imperative that the goal not be difficult to a point where the participant cannot accomplish it” (langton, 2016). Some may argue that a goal that is seemingly hard to reach, will act as a deterrent. Creating a structurally sound goal that is not aggressive can mitigate this. The goal should work towards a collective objective, “While in a workplace the goal should be relevant to the context of what the organization wishes to accomplish” (langton, 2016). Finally “the goal should be timely, meaning it should be completed before the predetermined deadline, adding a sense of urgency” (langton, 2016). Other sources can also corroborate the effectiveness of deadlines. “When a deadline is on the horizon the employee will factor that into the amount of energy put into the task, thus indirectly increasing his or her effectiveness” (Lunenburg). Overall setting “SMART” goals can engage …show more content…
An example is school, I am constantly setting goals to make sure that all of my homework assignments are done on time and that I am never late for class. But it extends further into my daily life as well, I am always setting goals to eat healthy and read more books instead of watching TV. The reason I am able to vouch for the goal setting theory is because it has a quality of clarity that entices me to become proactive. Previous experiments with this type of goal setting allowed me to realize that by thoughtfully planning my goals out it adds a feeling of excitement and eagerness, as opposed to a feeling of deterrence when I was pursuing a vaguely set goal. After doing this assignment I realized that I participate in a considerable amount of goal setting, and it is refreshing to see that online research can support this