July’s column on The Resilience of Theory X Management included this observation: “Management science research shows that Theory Y management has not produced measurable improvement in job performance, satisfaction or quality. (Bobic & Davis 2003)”
What the heck? We have been using Theory Y as a memorizable management fact in public safety promotional exams since the 1960s. It seems that many motivation concepts, techniques and “best practices” are not fully understood, or effective after they are whittled down to a multiple-choice question or flashcard. Perhaps General James Mattis can provide some guidance:
“If you haven’t read hundreds of books, you are functionally illiterate, and you will be incompetent, because your personal experiences alone aren’t broad enough to sustain you.”
– James Mattis Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead
There is a more expansive description in Appendix B of Call Sign Chaos, along with a recommended reading list for the warfighter.
Your effectiveness in motivating others will increase as you expand your understanding of the human condition and work environment.
For example, 18 of the 19 volunteer firefighters of Paris, Maine, resigned when the town manager reversed a personnel decision made by the fire chief. Former fire chief Jon Longley states “The authority of the Fire Chief has been compromised.”
The detailed explanation by Chief Longley in the Sun Journal article left me with the impression that the town leadership does not understand the unique work environment of volunteer firefighters.
Go Beyond the Flash Cards and Read The Research
The arena of Public Service Motivation (PSM) has received a lot of empirical research since 2008. Researchers looked at federal, state and local agencies. Christensen, Paarlberg & Perry did a literature review of 199 peer-reviewed published research between 2008 and 2015.
The review of the publications provides this summation of their strategies:
- 40% – Strategy to integrate public service into human resources management (HRM)
- 30% – Create a supportive work environment for public service motivation
- Few – Organizational-level strategies that integrate public service into the organizational mission, strategy and leadership
- Even fewer – Leadership and societal-level strategies that seek to obtain external legitimacy for public service
This is how motivational theory is developed: through published peer-reviewed research, then as a chapter in a textbook and eventually as a paragraph in an emergency service textbook. Another pathway is from research to mass media books, conferences, and application of the theory using the authors as the subject matter experts.
You do not need to become a deep-dive researcher, but going beyond the condensed and summarized emergency service textbook factoids will provide the background and context of how these theories were developed.
For example, I was surprised by how little empirical research occurs to establish a theory – or how small the sample could be.
Suggested Motivational Library
Here are three textbooks that are used in university-level courses (upper-division undergraduate or master’s level) that provide overviews of contemporary theories. You can find them in university or college libraries, possibly in your neighborhood library. They can also be rented or purchased at Amazon – click on the title to go to the Amazon page.
Kounzes, J. M. & Posner, B. Z. (2017) The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations. 6th Edition. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Northouse, P. G. (2018) Leadership: Theory and Practice. 8th edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Yukl, G. (2012) Leadership in Organizations. 8th edition. Boston, MA: Pearson
You can find more detailed descriptions of motivational theories, often descriptions of how they impact “the real world” and a reference list identifying the original peer-reviewed research or textbook.
It is amazing what is lost in the compression of these research results. Having those details and texture of the theory makes you a more astute and effective motivator.
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Recent research on firefighter motivation was used for the 4th edition of Fire Officer: Principles and Practice. Chapter 2: Understanding Leadership and Management Theories. pages 39-57
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Ward, Michael (2019 July 1) The Resilience of Theory X Management – 2 Corrosive Issues to Address. CompanyCommander.com. Reston, VA: Gold Badge Enterprises LLC.
Bobic, MP & Davis WE (2003) A Kind Word for Theory X: Or Why So Many Newfangled Management Techniques Quickly Fail. Journal of Public Administration and Theory. (13)3, 239-264.
Mattis, James, and West, Bing. (2019) Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead. New York: Random House.
Bolduc, Jon (2020 February 29) Former Paris fire chief details conflict between town, fire department in letter. Jon Longley, one of 18 firefighters who resigned this week, says the authority of the chief has been compromised after a personnel decision was reversed by the town. Sun Journal. Lewiston, Maine: Sun Journal.
Christensen, R. K., Paarlberg, L., & Perry, J. (2017) Public Service Motivation Research: Lessons for Practice. Public Administration Review. 77(4) (pp. 529 – 542.) DOI: 10.1111/puar.12796
Featured image used with permission from Dave Donohue Mid-Atlantic Emergency and Safety Consultants, LLC