According to this theory, people are motivated only if they expect a desired outcome or reward. The key idea here is: What is in it for me? The desired outcome here has two components: Objectives will be met with this effort, and the performers will be rewarded.
Trivia:
This theory works almost all the time. If as the manager, you can understand what your team needs (like promotion, better roles, onsite opportunities etc) you can motivate them to work better in return for the rewards they expect. It's a win-win situation. You get good results and your team gets what they want.
Chat with our AI personalities
According to the expectancy theory of motivation, motivation is the result of an individual's belief that their effort will lead to performance (expectancy), that the performance will lead to rewards (instrumentality), and that the rewards will be valuable (valence). In other words, motivation is driven by the expectation that putting in effort will result in desired outcomes.
According to Expectancy Theory, individuals are motivated to exert effort if they believe that effort will lead to performance, and that performance will lead to rewards. This theory emphasizes the importance of perceived relationships between effort, performance, and outcomes in influencing motivation.
You can use expectancy theory by 1) setting specific and challenging goals to increase your expectations of success, 2) ensuring you have the necessary skills and resources to achieve those goals to enhance your belief in your capability, and 3) linking the desired outcomes to something personally meaningful to boost your motivation level.
Self-determination theory suggests Juan may be motivated by autonomy, competence, and relatedness needs. Achievement goal theory emphasizes how Juan's goal orientation, such as mastery and performance goals, can affect his motivation. Expectancy theory focuses on how Juan's beliefs about effort-performance link and outcomes can influence his motivation levels.
Content theories of motivation focus on the specific factors that motivate individuals, such as needs and desires, while process theories focus on the cognitive processes that explain how motivation occurs, such as goal-setting and reinforcement. Content theories offer insights into what motivates people, while process theories offer insights into how motivation works.
The expectancy theory of motivation focuses on how individuals expect their efforts will lead to successful performance, which will then result in desired outcomes or rewards. It suggests that motivation is influenced by the belief that effort will lead to performance (expectancy), performance will lead to rewards (instrumentality), and rewards will be valued (valence).