Understanding ourselves and our natural inclinations is an important to improving ourselves. Do I naturally find faults in others or see what good they do? Understanding this will make you aware of what you don't do, so you can try to compensate since both important. Not all employees are the same. Some have qualities that lean towards x or y and how we interact with that person may depend on that.
Do you have any motivation tips to share, be it as a team leader or member? Do you think Y is inherently better than X or that it depends on the employee?
One motivation technique is positive reinforcement by always recognizing a person for something they did with body language that shows you appreciate it. (looking directly at them, smile, etc)
I don't believe Y is better because there are unmotivated people who do a damn good job but prefer to only do what they need to do and leave. In that respect, would you prefer a Y personality employee who is motivated but lacks some of the required knowledge or an X employee who does what they are told to do?
(The theory X make people who like to be led and lack ambition seem like they are also stupid and incompetent but it is possible to be smart but unambitious. Assume the latter for the previous question)
I believe it is easier to teach skills then it is to teach motivation. An employee that wants to learn and get better can accomplish a lot more in the long run. An unmotivated employee with a decent level of skill is nice in the short term. You save money on training and do not feel as invested if the employees leaves after working for you. It doesn't feel like you invested so much time to see them leave. I think personally I would rather have a motivated employee. Dealing with unmotivated employees is time consuming, annoying and cause problems with other coworkers.
I think it's a little hard to determine what type of employee I am. When it is something I am interested in, then yes I am a Y. I am motivated to learn and get better because I do not always feel like I have the necessary skill. If there is something that I'm not interested in, and using the job as say a stepping stone, or thinking it as an internship, then I am more of an X. I get in, do my work, and get out. I personally would want to work in an environment that makes me a "Y" and others are as well. I like the idea of working with people who would genuinely spend time with you outside "the office" and I wouldn't get that feeling from an X employee. When we are all motivated to do our job then work becomes less of a job and more of a paid hobby.
I would prefer to have an employee who is a Y personality simply because motivation is more important than prior knowledge most of the time. If I want an employee who only does the bare minimum, I might take far longer to complete any sort of work or make any progress. Innovation comes from doing the maximum, not the minimum.
However, someone with a Y personality would be far more likely to do the work well. Knowledge can be taught but motivation, as previously stated, is much tougher to imbue.
It is known from numerous studies that only a small percentage of new hires fail to succeed due to a lack of knowledge or technical skills. At the same time, several studies exist that show that higher performers tend to feel unmotivated and less connected. So I think that performance management is what makes the change in the work environment. A demotivating environment can quickly change the future of the business. Rewarding nonperformers, public criticisms, and most importantly short-term objectives without considering employees' long-term career visions are the reason for demotivation in the workplace.
