It has been said that your job is only as good as your boss. We’ve all been there: working efficiently and creatively in a system until everything changes due to a new boss or new management structure. These changes may be related to unrealistically heavy workloads or may reflect an authoritarian approach, such as issuing mandatory meetings or other activities that take time away from the work that needs to be done. The new boss may be a micromanager, indecisive, or non-communicative. There are changes in how and where one works, e.g., moving from a fully remote position to demands by management to fully return to the office or a hybrid work schedule that demolishes work-life balance. Suddenly, the dream job becomes a nightmare.
The psychological impact of losing meaningful and energizing work is substantial. Work occupies a large portion of our lives. Indeed, the number of hours and years most full-time employed adults are occupied by their employment may be among the highest of their waking activities. Beyond the actual employment itself, work is an essential component that not only meets financial needs but is often a primary element in satisfying emotional needs and core to self-esteem and sense of self. The passion one brings to work is intrinsically related to the core need to feel valued and essential.
Daniel Pink (2009), in his book Drive, makes this point that the 21st-century workplace is one where old-school “carrot and sticks” or extrinsic motivators, such as rewards and punishment, do not work in the long run. Intrinsic motivation, wherein the person’s buy-in and commitment comes from deriving satisfaction from work, is powerful. Pink identifies three core elements that enhance intrinsic motivation. The first is autonomy: the ability to control when and how you work. The second is mastery: the ability to have work that enhances growth and competence. The third is meaning: work that promotes a sense of purpose. Feeling valued adds rather than subtracts from work productivity.
Nothing destroys intrinsic motivation more than a micromanaging........