Chapter 10 : Motivating through Intelligent Leadership

Abstract:

The goal of this chapter is to take the basic theories of motivation and apply them to real-life settings in the laboratory by relating some experiences that the author has had during his tenure in the profession. The author intends to make these management theories real and applicable to laboratorians. The chapter considers how the natural internal motivation in people can be sparked by effective leadership. For healthcare leaders, the question becomes, how do we continuously ignite this type of motivation in the people around us whom we depend on most to provide this care? The answer lies in the leader’s intimate knowledge of his or her self. An effective leader will collaboratively set goals with those involved in the work based on the vision of the organization and then enable those people to use their abilities to accomplish the goal. A leader must enable people to achieve, accomplish, and grow, and then recognize the achievement. The chapter discusses one of the components of emotional intelligence, self-motivation. Self-motivation is drive, positivity, and passion to achieve. According to David McClelland's human motivation theory, people can have one of three dominant motivators — achievement, affiliation, and power. Reigniting the motivation in a person to lead will produce motivation in those whom he leads.