Applied Motivational Theory Paper

1. Applied Motivational Theory

Without salaries or benefits at stake, leading volunteer teams begins with the leaders ability create a motivational environment where the right team members are drawn together; connecting personally with the vision of the organization. Establishing and sustaining such an atmosphere calls for leaders who value team member personally, encourage feedback, and celebrates successes. Therefore, it is imperative for a Chi Alpha leader to understand the various theories of motivation and to apply those relevant concepts for inspiring diverse volunteer teams.

Although our door should remain open to all, one essential motivational element is ensuring one has the right core members. Collins (2001) refers to this as the

“First Who… Then What” principle; signifying that with whom we lead is as pertinent as what we do. When asking this question, as a spiritual leader, our first response must focus on God. Pastor Wilson (2010) demonstrates this principle in his chapter on corporate prayer; describing how prayer evolved from an agenda item at the beginning of meetings to become the prerequisite for meetings and services (Wilson, 2010, pp. 109-110). Until God becomes part of the organizational culture, he remains a bystander instead of our leader.
Once we establish this center, we must also consider the right people with which we can partner, our guiding coalition.

In Good to Great, Collins proposes that finding the best people depends on a rigorous search; “consistently applying exacting standards at all times” (2001, Kindle location 895). However, it is not enough to apply these standards in our search for others if we do not apply them to ourselves. Pastor Wilson (2013) provides an honest description of a similar struggle with the wrong team member; confirming that “letting the wrong people hang around is unfair to all the right people” and “equally unfair to the people who need to get off the bus” (Collins, 2001, Kindle locations 980,

982).
A second concept of motivational theory is the need to compose a vision that embraces the dreams of the team and inspires a shared hope for the future; Collins (2001) defines this as a hedgehog concept. The most effective organizational vision is that found at the intersection of our strengths, passions, and resources (Collins, 2001). Great passion without the necessary abilities is unlikely to inspire confidence necessary to lead others to achieve greatness. In the same way, amazing abilities, lacking resources leaves followers ill-equipped to produce excellence. Recognizing the strengths and limitations of our current team and our target audience, community colleges, we have settled on a vision statement of the Tarrant County Chi Alpha, “Be a Leader, Build a Leader!”; although concise, it addresses both the strengths of the team and the needs of the students. In addition, it envisions a future that encourages the continued development and growth of both team members and students. Finally, this vision speaks to the bigger picture of the impact these students can have as spiritual leaders in Chi Alpha when they move on to complete their degree in addition to their future career or home church.
A third motivational skill for my leadership tool box is treating people as individuals (Adair, 2009).

The Arbinger Institute (2010) speak of this concept in their book, Leadership and Self-Deception, as the misconception of people to view others as objects rather than people. In leadership, supervisors who address team members as assets instead of recognizing and meeting their needs are “in the box.” To successfully partner with local churches, we must expand beyond the Chi Alpha perspective to recognize the various local church paradigms that will shape this new ministry. In the case of conflict, if proper diligence has been given to develop the right team, leaders should strive to help the team member discover the role that best fits their specific gifts, talents, and abilities before considering the final option of removing them from the team (Collins, 2001, Kindle location

1007).
Even after the team is in place and the vision cast, there is still a need for more motivation, as leaders adjust for opportunities and obstacles along the journey (Wilson, 2010). Feedback is another essential in this process, however, without intentionality, leaders tend to suffer from “CEO Disease”; isolating them from the vital information needed to make effective decisions (Goleman, Boyatzis, & McKee, 2002, pp. 92-93). Eims instructs that, to gain accesses to this vital information, effective leaders “will create such a permissive atmosphere that the people feel free to talk to them and are at ease in their presence” (Eims, 2012, p. 37). Especially in reference to major issues, it is important to establish systems that allow members to present problems outside of scheduled organizational review or planning opportunities (Collins, 2001, Kindle location 1365).
A final motivational principle, celebrating victories, is often the most challenging for me to implement. As a person more dependent upon internal motivation, I sometimes forget the importance of celebrating with the team. While most people are cheering victories, I am preparing for the next challenge; therefore, words of affirmation and tangible gifts fall in my appreciation blind spot (Chapman, & White, 2009). As 70 percent of people in the United States fill unappreciated at work, it is imperative as we call individuals to volunteer their time to a cause that we regularly celebrate them and their investments. Therefore, with the help of my wife, whose primary love language is words of affirmation, and a life coach, I am working to decrease this blind spot. In this process, one key is to make the celebration an integral part of the success equation; including it as a goal statement to conclude each phase of the project.