Theory X and Theory Y conundrum
What motivates employees to go to work each morning?
Many people get great satisfaction from their work and take great pride in it.
Others may view it as a burden, and simply work to survive.
Theory X assumes that employees are naturally
unmotivated and dislike working, and this encourages an authoritarian style of
management. According to this view, management must actively intervene to get
things done. This style of management assumes that workers:
- Dislike working.
- Avoid responsibility and need to be directed.
- Have to be controlled, forced, and threatened to deliver what's needed.
- Need to be supervised at every step, with controls put in place.
- Need to be enticed to produce results; otherwise they have no ambition or incentive to work.
Theory Y illustrates a participative
style of management that is de-centralized. It assumes that employees are happy
to work, are self-motivated and creative, and enjoy working with greater
responsibility. It assumes that workers:
- Take responsibility and are motivated to fulfil the goals they are given.
- Seek and accept responsibility and do not need much direction.
- Consider work as a natural part of life and solve work problems imaginatively.
I have worked with 2 managers and I
got the opportunity of working with both type of managers (Theory X and theory
Y). I personally enjoyed working with the theory Y manager and I share the same
school of thought. I feel giving people a bit of freedom brings the best out of
them rather than forcing an authoritarian style of management which might reduce
innovation
