Do you believe we — workers — are unmotivated by default and needing of strict supervision (Theory X), or do you believe we are intrinsically motivated and seeking a sense of mastery in our jobs (Theory Y)? It’s a question that has come up a lot as managers learn to let go and trust that work is being completed even if everyone is working remotely.
These two ideas — Theories X and Y — were created by social psychologist Douglas McGregor at MIT's Sloan School of Management in 1960, and whichever theory we subscribe to is like to strongly influence how we lead teams. What many recognize, thankfully, is that surveillance-style monitoring of people is not the answer. It tarnishes trust and causes employee engagement to plummet, among other things.
In this article, reporter Rebecca Deczynski speaks with Range co-founder Dan Pupius and other leaders to discuss trends they’re seeing in how teams work and how managers are able to keep a pulse on what their team is or isn’t doing. The best part? There’s no micromanaging involved.
The three key takeaways from the piece include:
- Creating a check-in routine
- Making goal-setting a collaborative process
- Gaining a bigger picture understanding
