Q.'GW Textiles' was facing rising competition, inefficiencies on the shop floor and declining revenues. To address these problems, Leena was appointed as the new Factory Manager. In the first few weeks, Leena walked around the factory and watched how work was actually being done. She noticed that some workers were sincere and focused, while others showed little interest and avoided responsibility. To overcome this problem Leena began spending time on the shop floor every week, interacting closely with the workers and was able to make them act in the desired manner to achieve organisational goals. Her approach helped create a positive work environment where employees felt encouraged to perform better, leading to improved efficiency on the shop floor and improved revenues.
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →The element of directing highlighted is motivation — Leena's efforts to inspire workers to perform better by understanding their behaviour and creating a positive environment that aligned individual effort with organisational goals.
When Leena took charge at GW Textiles, she inherited a factory plagued by inefficiency and worker apathy. The clue to what she did lies in the passage: she didn't simply issue orders or redesign workflows. Instead, she observed, interacted, and worked to "make them act in the desired manner to achieve organisational goals" while creating "a positive work environment where employees felt encouraged to perform better." This is the essence of motivation — the managerial function that energises people to contribute their best effort willingly.
Directing, as a function of management, comprises four elements: supervision, motivation, leadership, and communication. What distinguishes motivation here is Leena's focus on the internal drive of workers. She recognised that some were sincere while others lacked interest, and she addressed this psychological gap not through commands but through engagement and encouragement. Motivation is about influencing the willingness to work, tapping into human needs and desires so that employees want to perform, not just comply.
Features of Motivation
The NCERT textbook identifies several defining characteristics of motivation as a process. Three important features stand out:
Motivation is an internal feeling. It originates within the individual — it is a psychological phenomenon rooted in needs, desires, and aspirations. Leena couldn't force workers to care; she had to awaken their intrinsic willingness by spending time with them, understanding what mattered to them, and creating conditions that made them feel valued. A manager can create the environment, but the actual drive comes from within the employee.
Motivation is goal-directed behaviour. People act to satisfy their needs, and motivation channels that action toward organisational objectives. Leena's interactions weren't casual socialising — they were purposeful. By aligning workers' personal satisfaction (recognition, a better work atmosphere, a sense of involvement) with the company's goals (efficiency, revenue), she ensured that improved performance served both parties. Motivation bridges the gap between what the organisation wants and what the individual seeks.
Motivation can be either positive or negative. Positive motivation uses rewards, recognition, praise, and opportunities — it pulls people toward desired behaviour. Negative motivation relies on fear, penalties, or threats — it pushes people by making inaction uncomfortable. Leena clearly chose the positive route: she encouraged, created a supportive environment, and made workers feel their efforts mattered. The result was sustained improvement, not grudging compliance. Positive motivation tends to build loyalty and long-term commitment, while negative motivation may yield short-term results but often breeds resentment. …
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