Goal-Setting Theory in Management: Definition & Examples, Five Dimensions of Trustworthy Leadership, Herzberg Two-Factor Theory | Hygiene Factors & Motivation. In general, Theory X style managers believe their employees are less intelligent, lazier, and work solely for a sustainable income. D.job satisfaction is primarily related to higher order needs. Leadership is also about having a vision and communicating that vision to others in such a way that it provides meaning for the follower.32 Language, ritual, drama, myths, symbolic constructions, and stories are some of the tools leaders use to capture the attention of their followers to be to evoke emotion and to manage the meaning of the task (challenges) facing the group.33 These tools help the leader influence the attitudes, motivation, and behavior of their followers. Theory X and Theory Y were developed in the 1960's and describe two different, almost opposite, attitudes to motivation in the workplace. A compliment or reward from a person we like generally has greater value than one from someone we dislike, and punishment from someone we love (such as tough love from a parent) is less offensive than the pain inflicted by someone we dislike.31. The manager provides incentives and appraisals, but they are given as acknowledgement and appreciation of the employees performances, and not to control them. An individual who was self- motivated was best left alone in a. most workers seek out more resonsibilityTheory Y managers prefera. Read them well and, normally, they'll feel confident taking direction under the parameters of X and Y. They'll understand your expectations and feel motivated - those two things promote happiness at work and contribute to wellbeing. As a consequence, they exert a highly controlling leadership style. Theory X managers are likely to believe that: A. the average person dislikes work and will seek to avoid it when possible. Managers may prefer one theory over the other; it depends on individual trait differences. Theory X assumes that people dislike work and will avoid doing anything they don't have to do. Managers give employees some free space and flexibility to work. As we have noted, leadership is the exercise of influence over those who depend on one another for attaining a mutual goal in a group setting. Xavier is a Theory X manager. Management professor William Ouchi argued that Western organizations could learn from their Japanese counterparts. However, beyond this commonality, theattitudes and assumptionsthey embody are quite different. Vassiliou, Marius, David S. Alberts, and Jonathan R. Agre (2015). Theory X managers and supervisors are sometimes called micro-managers. http://www.envisionsoftware.com/articles/Theory_X.html, https://pixabay.com/en/idea-businessman-man-outline-suit-1460935/, http://vle.du.ac.in/mod/book/view.php?id=8344&chapterid=10377, CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toyota_Plant_Ohira_Sendai.jpg. Make team leaders aware of the negative consequences of the Theory X management style and the positive consequences of the Theory Y management style. Implementing a Theory Y-focused leadership approach requires modern tools that can complement the collaborative workplace. And the most lauded skills, especially in leadership, lie in the ability to connect seemingly disparate ideas and communicate those ideas clearly. He mentioned Theory X and Theory Y in his book, The Human Side of Enterprise, published in 1960. Here, managers see employees as responsible and proactive. In many instances, people are put into positions of leadership by forces outside the group. Also sharing power is the directive democrat, who encourages participative decision-making but retains the power to direct team members in the execution of their roles. Theory X and Theory Y represent two sets of assumptions about human nature and human behavior that are relevant to the practice of management. This led them to use rewards and punishment as their primary means to motivate employees. The role of the Theory X manager is to coerce and control employees to work towards organizational goals. Many writers and researchers have explored how leaders can use power to address the needs of various situations. Question: Theory X managers are likely to believe thata. Based on these factors, it is easy to see how Theory X differs from Theory Y and easy to imagine their potential outcomes in the workplace. As a result, they think that team members need to be prompted, rewarded or punished constantly to make sure that they complete their tasks. I think there is a little misconception here. If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a print format, Both sides seek to satisfy some personal pleasures and needs. Theory X managers are likely to believe that: A.the average person dislikes work and will seek to avoid it when possible. Human Relations Theory Overview & Timeline | What are Human Relations? It is also used in unskilled labor organizations or production firms. So grab your bomb repellent while we explore these two different types of managers by discussing the assumptions of each. Theory Y managers gravitate towards relating to the worker on a more personal level, as opposed to a more conductive and teaching-based relationship. McGregors Theory X and Theory Y posits two different sets of attitudes about the individual as an organizational member.36 Theory X and Y thinking gives rise to two different styles of leadership. "Theory X and Theory Y, Douglas McGregor", "Employee Management: Are You X or Are You Y", "Theory X and Theory Y: Understanding People's Motivations", A diagram representing Theory X and Theory Y, Another diagram representing Theory X and Theory Y, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Theory_X_and_Theory_Y&oldid=1136635549, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 31 January 2023, at 10:10. Some people prefer micromanaging and leading, and some people prefer giving space. I see Theory X and Theory Y as two natural divisions of people; groupings into those who dislike working and those who are inclined to working without persuasion. Henry comes to work regularly on time and his performance has been consistent. They are not lazy at all. This website helped me pass! These differing management styles have been coined in the academic management community as Theory X and Theory Y. Lets break each down and see how they apply in the workplace. This is because; Theory X reduces the people to 'clogs in machine' and is more likely to de-motivate people in the long-run. Managers who assume employees are apathetic or dislike their work use theory X, which is authoritarian. She also holds three degrees including communications, business, educational leadership/technology. To McGregor, a steady supply of motivation seemed more likely to occur underTheory Y management. Another colleague, Joseph, sees him as a worker who performs just for the sake of money. [6] Managers who believe employees operate in this manner are more likely to use rewards or punishments as motivation. We recommend using a They are not inherently irresponsible or lazy. This allows the individual to receive either a direct reward or a reprimand, depending on the outcome's positive or negative nature. Different situations call for different configurations of knowledge, skills, and abilities. So they must be controlled and coerced to get the job done. [8] This approach is derived from Fred Fiedler's research over various leadership styles known as the contingency theory. Douglas McGregor was a management professor at Massachusetts IT university, Cambridge in the 1950s, and published a few articles and books as well. The employee dislikes working, is not motivated enough and thus avoids working, whenever there is an opportunity. PEOPLE WILL SEEK INCREASED RESPONSIBILITY AND CHALLENGE AND WILL WORK HARD UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITIONS True or false: A research called the "New Generation" of Chinese organizational leaders found that the new generation group scored the same on individualism as the current and older generation groups. The Theory X leader assumes that the average individual dislikes work and is incapable of exercising adequate self-direction and self-control. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. are licensed under a, Major Characteristics of the Manager's Job, How the Brain Processes Information to Make Decisions: Reflective and Reactive Systems, Administrative and Bureaucratic Management, External and Internal Organizational Environments and Corporate Culture, The Internal Organization and External Environments, Organizing for Change in the 21st Century, Ethics, Corporate Responsibility, and Sustainability, Dimensions of Ethics: The Individual Level, Ethical Principles and Responsible Decision-Making, Leadership: Ethics at the Organizational Level, Ethics, Corporate Culture, and Compliance, Emerging Trends in Ethics, CSR, and Compliance, Cultural Stereotyping and Social Institutions, Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs, Trends in Entrepreneurship and Small-Business Ownership, Strategic Analysis: Understanding a Firms Competitive Environment, Gaining Advantages by Understanding the Competitive Environment, A Firm's External Macro Environment: PESTEL, A Firm's Micro Environment: Porter's Five Forces, Competition, Strategy, and Competitive Advantage, The Strategic Management Process: Achieving and Sustaining Competitive Advantage, The Role of Strategic Analysis in Formulating a Strategy, Strategic Objectives and Levels of Strategy, Planning Firm Actions to Implement Strategies, Measuring and Evaluating Strategic Performance, An Introduction to Human Resource Management, Influencing Employee Performance and Motivation, Talent Development and Succession Planning, Benefits and Challenges of Workplace Diversity, Situational (Contingency) Approaches to Leadership, Substitutes for and Neutralizers of Leadership, Transformational, Visionary, and Charismatic Leadership, Opportunities and Challenges to Team Building, Factors Affecting Communications and the Roles of Managers, Managerial Communication and Corporate Reputation, The Major Channels of Management Communication Are Talking, Listening, Reading, and Writing, Formal Organizational Planning in Practice, Management by Objectives: A Planning and Control Technique, The Control- and Involvement-Oriented Approaches to Planning and Controlling, MTIIts Importance Now and In the Future, External Sources of Technology and Innovation, Internal Sources of Technology and Innovation, Management Entrepreneurship Skills for Technology and Innovation, Managing Now for Future Technology and Innovation, Tannenbaum and Schmidts Leadership Continuum, Leadership Behavior and the Uses of Power. In modern days and times, Theory Y works more effectively. Discover each theory and the respective qualities of each, as well as how self-fulfilling prophecies come into play for managers. went on to propose his own model of workplace motivation, Theory Z. As soon as that need is satisfied, the employees have no additional motivation for coming to work. And the approach to and requirements of leadership are changing with it. The employee is not responsible and hence must be supervised or directed towards the goal of the organization. [4] Assumptions of Theory Y, in relation to Maslow's hierarchy put an emphasis on employee higher level needs, such as esteem needs and self-actualization. Finally, Theory Z assumes that given the right management support, workers can be trusted to do their jobs to their utmost ability and look afterfor their own and others well-being. Informal leaders are acknowledged by the group, and the group willingly responds to their leadership. Establish coaching to help team leaders . Douglas McGregor introduced Theory X and Theory Y to explain different styles of management. Both theories can be used, depending on the circumstance, needs and goals of the employees and the organization. Consider these assumptions from the different managerial styles: Most people find happiness in hard work under the right conditions. A manager who believes in Theory Y could have assumptions that: Too much freedom could lead to no accountability and people could lose direction and focus. Because managers and supervisors are in almost complete control of the work, this produces a more systematic and uniform product or work flow. The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo Under Theory X, one can take a hard or soft approach to getting results. McGregor cautioned both types of managers against what he called self-fulfilling prophecies, whereby an employee will act just as the manager assumed he or she would due to the manager's own actions and behaviors. This theory is also likely to be used when the work in the organization is repetitive and employees are likely to get bored and need some control. Most people can handle responsibility because creativity and ingenuity are common in the population. The control and coercion involved in this style of management could lead to employee frustration, de-motivate employees and damage relationships within the organization. Under Theory Z management, not only do workers have a sense of cohesion with their fellow workers, they also develop a sense of order, discipline, and a moral obligation to work hard. He was one of the most impactful, popular writers in the management field and is credited for modern management thinking. With a workplace centered on trust, its important not only to instill trust in your teammatesbut also in the right technology to get the job done. Theory X explains the importance of heightened supervision, external rewards, and penalties, while Theory Y highlights the motivating role of job satisfaction and encourages workers to approach tasks without direct supervision. When this persons role is sanctioned by the formal organization, these team leaders become formal leaders. the average person dislikes work and will seek to avoid it when possible. Question: QUESTION 17 Theory X managers are likely to believe that: a. the average employee dislikes work and will seek to avoid it when possible. McGregor called this Theory X. Humanistic psychologist Abraham Maslow, upon whose work McGregor drew for Theories X and Y, C. employees are motivated mainly by the chance for advancement and recognition. 17 chapters | Theory X managers tend to take a pessimistic view of their people, and assume that they are naturally unmotivated and dislike work. On the other hand, if you believe that your people take pride in their work and see it as a challenge, then you'll more likely adopt a participative management style . In the 1960s, social psychologist Douglas McGregor developed Theory X and Theory Y to explain how managers' beliefs about what motivates their employees can influence their management style. McGregor (1960) proposed two models "Theory X and Theory Y", which he devised to describe two contrasting beliefs that managers hold about their paid workers. Much like a bomb, assumptions are a dangerous thing to make - just the slightest little mistake and you can end up blowing yourself up! Use this quiz to check your understanding and decide whether to (1) study the previous section further or (2) move on to the next section. They need an interactive and safe environment with opportunities for growth, learning and creativity. [4] This led companies to focus on how their employees were motivated, managed, and led, creating a Theory Y management style which focuses on the drive for individual self-fulfillment. d. job satisfaction is primarily related to higher-order needs. Many consider such actions necessary for self-managing work teams to succeed. He believed that workers who were continuously being treated as robots with no thinking ability, at one point eventually start behaving like robots. They can have creativity, innovation and potential skills that they can use to solve problems or to perform effectively. University-based ROTC programs and military academies (like West Point) formally groom people to be leaders. [4] The workplace lacks unvarying rules and practices, which could potentially be detrimental to the quality standards of the product and strict guidelines of a given company. Research indicates that people are unlikely to follow individuals who, for example, do not display drive, self-confidence, knowledge of the situation, honesty, and integrity. Managers who choose the Theory X approach have an authoritarian style of management. The employee must be supervised or looked upon so that he or she works appropriately. Theory Y results in an arrangement whereby individuals can achieve their own goals and happily accomplish the organizations goals at the same time. In his 1960 book, The Human Side of Enterprise, McGregor proposed two theories by which managers perceive and address employee motivation. Peopleare motivated by money and fears about their job security. If you agree with Joseph, you will likely agree with Theory X, which refers to a more authoritarian style of managing. The Theory Y managers believe their role is to help develop an employee's potential so that s/he can work towards common organizational goals. His ideas suggest that there are two fundamental approaches to managing people: Many managers tend toward Theory X and generally get poor results. B. most employees know more about their job than the boss. [2], McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y and Maslow's hierarchy of needs are both rooted in motivation theory. Managers in newer organizations use this theory as now, people want more than monetary rewards and control. Theory Y managers will make different choices about how to arrange team members and workflows, how to talk to people, how to reward and incentivize, etc. However, one person who seemed to be unafraid of self-inflicted explosions was Douglas McGregor, a behavior management theorist who was heavily influenced by both Abraham Maslow and the Hawthorne Studies. He wrote on leadership as well. 1999-2023, Rice University. C. employees are motivated mainly by the chance for advancement and recognition.D. b.employees are motivated mainly by the chance for advancement and recognition. Theory X managers are likely to believe that: a. the average employee dislikes work and will seek to avoid it when possible. While these contrasting management styles might be easily recognizable in todays technology-driven world, they were novel thoughts at one point, developed through research and observation by a workplace thought leader. In the 1950s, Tannenbaum and Schmidt created a continuum (see Exhibit 13.6) along which leadership styles range from authoritarian to extremely high levels of worker freedom.34 Subsequent to Tannenbaum and Schmidts work, researchers adapted the continuum by categorizing leader power styles as autocratic (boss-centered), participative (workers are consulted and involved), or free-rein (members are assigned the work and decide on their own how to do it; the leader relinquishes the active assumption of the role of leadership).35. Informal leaders, by contrast, are not assigned by the organization. Theory Y is based on positive assumptions regarding the typical worker. It helped me pass my exam and the test questions are very similar to the practice quizzes on Study.com. Each assumes that the managers role is to organize resources, including people, to best benefit the company. The soft approach results in a growingdesire for greater reward in exchange for diminished work output. Theory Y managers assume employees are internally motivated, enjoy their job, and work to better themselves without a direct reward in return. In contrast, Theory Y leaders believe that people have creative capacities, as well as both the ability and desire to exercise self-direction and self-control. He explained this concept in his book "The Human side of Enterprise". Some critics believe that current methods of measuring unemployment are inaccurate in terms of the impact of unemployment on people as these methods do not take into account the 1.5% of the available working population incarcerated in US prisons (who may or may not be working while they are incarcerated); those who have lost their jobs and have . More than monetary rewards and punishment as their primary means to motivate employees or directed towards the goal the... Style and the most impactful, popular writers in the ability to connect seemingly disparate ideas communicate. 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