September 13

Motivating Your Team

At UTSA, you will be working in groups in most of your classes. Think about how you can best adapt the tips from the following video into how you build your team for your group project for MUS 2263.

http://youtu.be/B6I8vAF08i8

32 Replies to “September 13”

  1. The motivation elements of Intrinsic and Extrinsic are an interesting concept to visualize, and how the video drew these conclusions, although i feel they were correct, were also a tad cheesy in my opinion. However, the content of the different factors that go into the motivation including the Goal setting, Relationship and Environment, and Rewards I also agree with. Although I feel the last one on the list, being the Relationship and Environment should be at the TOP of the list because before you even begin to factor in your goals and plans or get any rewards, if you do not feel welcome in a group, it is unlikely that you will contribute much, if at all.

    Some of the most successful groups especially in music have had this as the largest contributing factor to their successful. If we take a look at groups like TDE, Top Dawg Entertainment, the independent record label that has signed people like Kendrick Lamar, ScHool Boy Q, and SZA, just to name a few; as well as groups like Roc-A-Fella which is Jay-Z’s independent label that signed Kanye West, and Cam’ron. These relationships gave way to these artists evolution and pushing them to the status today. If they had not found their way together, Jay-Z wouldn’t have had “The Blueprint” as successful without Kanye’s production and without Jay’s cosign Kanye wouldn’t have be in such demand for beats; Kendrick and Q would have never started rapping seriously or be in the studio if it weren’t for Top Dawg, and they wouldn’t have become as successful if they were supporting each other on stage. These relationships have proven to be not only successful but also a mutually beneficial one.

    For more info on TDE:
    https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/magazine-feature/7964649/kendrick-lamar-anthony-tiffith-interview-billboard-cover-story-2017

    For more info on Roc-A-Fella:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roc-A-Fella_Records

  2. After watching this video on teamwork, I realized that it is centered around the working environment while most class projects never leave the educational environment. I usually don’t feel that group projects enhance my teamwork skills.

    But I found this article from Forbes on “What Everyone Should Know About Teamwork” This article is beneficial because it tells you the 5 different stages a team must go through to actually become a team. Thus bridging the gap between disconnected group projects and actual teamwork.

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/luisromero/2016/01/20/what-everyone-should-know-about-teamwork/amp/

  3. No matter what industry you decide to work in it is important to know how to motivate those you work with so that you can create a better product. I believe that in music that is essential. It is possible to create art on your own but, the type of art you create when you collab with some else can be magical.
    I was able to find an interview with one of the best dance dous in the hip hop world right now, Les Twins. They talk about collabing with each other, even saying “We think we’re better without it, but we know were better together.” They talk about not putting your craft in a box and being willing to collaborate with people outside of your craft. They have worked with Beyonce and Michael Jordan, creating music and fashion that have nothing to do with there dance. Like the Lynda video speaks on setting goals in your group, Les Twins talks about priorities. They say if you take care of yourself then you can take care of everyone else, including your group.
    Please take a beat to watch the interview by Revolt
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8c6yORV6U4

    1. Hi Lainey — I think you make a good point about bringing out the best in you group members by helping them find what they do best. This applies to any group work setting!

  4. The segment that discusses fear as a negative motivator particularly interesting. While the speaker’s discussion was in the context of team building and effective motivation, fear is a concept that can be present in a different setting. The music industry seems to have a steep level of competition amongst bands and artists. This makes me wonder if the fear of not being successful or not being talented enough to make living in the music industry is a chronic affliction of musicians. While some may not outwardly show it, this fear could potentially hinder artistic creativity for the sake of “selling out” or connecting with the broadest audience possible. I did a little bit of research and found an article that talks about combatting this sort of issue as a modern musician:

    https://tomhess.net/4ThingsThatKillYourMusicCareer.aspx

    1. Hi Thomas,

      This is an interesting take on the video. I think we assume those in creative industries run on passion and purpose, but fear creeps in. I think it’s a good reminder about the ebb and flow of team work.

  5. While watching this video, I noticed that when it came to intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation, the topic seemed to focus on what you could do as a leader to aid in both types of motivation in your employees/peers. While listening to the differences between the two, and the tips and trick on what to do to help as a leader, I began to wonder what makes a person intrinsic or extrinsic. As leaders we need to know how to deal with both types of motivations but I also believe we need to know what makes a person more likely to be motivated a certain way. While searching for an answer I found the Self-Determination Theory. This theory studies human motivation and personality, behavioral tendencies, and psychological needs.

    http://selfdeterminationtheory.org/theory/

  6. After watching the video I agreed with most of what was said, specifically on how to increase motivation which would be by good communication with one another. I feel that communication is one of the most important parts about working with people. Working in an environment with clear and open communication can yield rapidly successful results, no matter the industry. Open communication then leads to good friendships and a good environment. Although yes, setting a goal and rewards will also help motivate you to excel, but nothing beats friendly encouragement. When one another is pushing each other to achieve goals and push limits, success becomes much easier than doing so alone.

    For the group project I will take these tips in hand and utilize them in the best way I can. I found another article specifically on why teamwork is crucial for success. You can find it here: https://www.business.com/articles/5-reasons-why-teamwork-is-crucial-to-workplace-success/

  8. I love how he spoke about “balance” with a concentration on incorporating intrinsic motivation. I often find that at my place of employment, my leads focus way too much on the rewards they give us for doing what we’re told. As opposed to this, I can definitely see how encouraging my leads to maneuver their motivational skills towards more intrinsic ways could definitely help our team. Also, I took away the fact that personally focusing on intrinsic values, myself, I can guide them to understanding why there may be an issue involving teamwork. I can lead by example. This is something that I feel is key in any team, whether it involves a lead or not; to show others nothing but what you expect from them.
    I also agree completely about how bad bosses can make someone leave their place of employment. At my job I am fortunate enough to have a team who can take constructive criticism and is always trying to improve. This brings to me to what I intend to focus on improving while with my new team in this class. I want to make others feel comfortable enough to bounce insane ideas off the wall without feeling any judgement or negativity. This is, like he said in the video above, the most important part of a group or team. Humans are social creatures and when we show that we do not accept how another human is, we are making them feel less valuable. Thus, they begin to feel weaker and can begin to serve no purpose to the group.
    Below is a link to help people decide if they should quit their job due to a horrible boss.
    https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/03/3-signs-your-boss-is-so-mean-you-should-actually-quit.html

  9. I’ve long since determined that it’s best to work with like-minded intrinsically motivated people, however people can easily mask their true motivations or lack thereof. I’ve been in plenty of groups where someone will talk about great ideas and all they want to contribute only to turn around and not apply any of that. It’s also been flipped where a person won’t say what they want to do and won’t give anyone else the chance to contribute. With the groups for our project I plan to divide and conquer so our work doesn’t overlap and we still have an aspect that goes our way and we can display our individuality but we’ll still discuss overall progress.

    Here’s an article on all the advantages of dividing and conquering.

    http://www.preservearticles.com/2012022323618/what-are-the-advantages-of-division-of-labour.html

  10. In all steps of life we will find ourselves working with other people in many different settings. From group projects at school, to sports teams to jobs, team building is vital for success. The relationships we form with those around us highly effect how we perform and feel about the situations we are put in. A lot of this can result from the way that you treat those around you. It is important to be kind and supportive and motivated on your own part when working with others. This is especially true in positions of authority.

    An article from The Huffington Post states, “Teams are at their best when they are able to make the best use of the strengths and welcome different perspectives, ideas and opinions of their team members to extract the best solution or result.” This can be used to the advantage for group projects. To focus on strengths of group members can enhance the performance and result of the group effort.

    This article goes into more detail on positive work environments:

    https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/creating-a-positive-workplace-culture-a-little-kindness_us_59a43419e4b0a62d0987b0f0

  11. This video was informative and provided some good points concerning motivating and leading a team. However, I have to disagree with some of the material in this video. I am studying Organizational Theory, Behavior and Management this semester, and we have been learning about the New Management styles and one of the first things we learned was to assume that most people are motivated to do a task or job, and they do get a sense of satisfaction and self gratification after a job well done. The new management style allows team members to be involved, and welcomes input and ideas, and makes all team members feel they are equals including the leader or manager. I would adopt the new management style if I were to be leader of a team.

    I found this article on 7 leadership styles. Which one are you?
    https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/leadership-styles

  12. I like what the guy in the video is trying to get across here but I personally feel like the intrinsic – extrinsic view is too drastic when it comes to most of the projects we do as groups at UTSA, especially at the upper level. We are all motivated to do our best and produce an outcome that best represents our knowledge of a subject in our courses that define our majors. Goal setting and Rewards and Recognition are good focal points when finding group members because we will have to combine and conquer together, so we will all need to be on the same page. Communication is key in my opinion and for my group members because I like my projects to always be perfect, professional and agreed upon by everyone in the group to ensure we all take part in something we care about.

    I found this interesting article on leadership and group dynamics that is really helpful in choosing a group and producing an effective outcome. https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/improving-group-dynamics.htm

  13. I like what the guy in the video is trying to get across here but I personally feel like the intrinsic – extrinsic view is too drastic when it comes to most of the projects we do as groups at UTSA, especially at the upper level. We are all motivated to do our best and produce an outcome that best represents our knowledge of a subject in our courses that define our majors. Goal setting and Rewards and Recognition are good focal points when finding group members because we will have to combine and conquer together, so we will all need to be on the same page. Communication is key in my opinion and for my group members because I like my projects to always be perfect, professional and agreed upon by everyone in the group to ensure we all take part in something we care about.

    I found this interesting article on leadership and group dynamics that is really helpful in choosing a group and producing an effective outcome. https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/improving-group-dynamics.htm

  14. I agree with most of what was said in this video. The points he made on intrinsic and extrinsic factors are very important not only when working in teams, but really when working on anything in general. Above all, intrinsic motivation is the most important. If you don’t have that motivation coming from within, you won’t get very far. Unfortunately, when doing group work in college you can get stuck with a team that may not have that intrinsic motivation. They are simply working because they need a grade. Although at this point in our college career, I believe we are far enough along where we don’t have that problem.

    Here some tips on how to be a good team member:
    https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201301/characteristics-good-work-team-members

  15. In the music industry, it is important to always be positive, and encouraging to the artist you’re working with. A big factor that really helps solve the artist is if all the people on their team, meaning band mates, management, producer, etc, really enjoy what the artist does and only wants what is best for them. Having a negative atmosphere around your work place can really cause the downfall of true talent. Why? Because if you feel slumped down, and unmotivated to work and progress, there won’t be anyone to lift you to be positive and to push you forward. Being unmotivated by your work, or by the people around you will never help you lead forward into your career. It is important to always surround yourself with a team of people who only want the best for you and that will give you constructive criticism to better yourself. Here is why positivity in the work environment is important:
    https://inside.6q.io/creating-a-healthy-workplace-environment/

  16. I completely agree with this video. Foremost, I believe everyone is a key player in music projects. Academic or business. The stakes really get higher the more business oriented the music gets. If even one task of the whole is lagging behind or causing an issue, the entire project is at risk of not meeting expectations. This article sets a proactive pretext to executing team based assignments. I certainly reflected on the point of building a sense of purpose and opportunity within relationships and the workplace environment. Attitudes really do change when personal gain to every individual is present. This link provides more reinforcement to adding value to someone else

    http://www.selfstairway.com/value/

  17. I, like many others, agree with what was said in this video. One thing I noticed however, is that the video focuses mainly on building the intrinsic motivation of someone else in the workplace. Although what was said can be applied to schoolwork, it made me curious what drives intrinsic motivation in students. What I found was an article that identifies a few ways that students are motivated in the classroom, and in turn, group projects. I found it helpful because it allowed me to better identify the things that motivate me, and gave me a few things to think about when increasing my own inner motivation.

    http://etale.org/main/2014/11/01/surfacing-intrinsic-motivation-in-project-based-self-directed-learning-envioronments/

  18. While watching the video “Motivating your Team” the presenter mentions key elements that can help any leader in any given work environment better motivate and ultimately better homogenize their group of work/study.

    Close to the middle of the video, the presenter goes into greater detail on what the most effective and useful balance of motivation is in a group work environment. Stating “Nothing motivates a person more than high-quality relationships in a positive work environment” furthering his idea of incorporating both Intrinsic and Extrinsic motivation into any given work environment.

    Here is a Forbes article that touches on a few ideas for staying motivated in a work environment explained in the video above.
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauladavislaack/2017/06/28/what-really-motivates-you-at-work/#1779db722883

  19. The concepts of intrinsic vs extrinsic seem fairly straightforward. This video focused mostly on how to build motivation in others when you are leading a team. While I think this is important in the educational environment, I also think it is important to learn how to build your own motivation. In school, most of us probably have to work on things alone just as often as working in groups, if not more, and I think it is important to have a sense of self-motivation first. If you yourself are motivated to complete a task/project, it will be much easier to work to motivate the other people you are leading (should that task/project be in a group setting). I found a short article on steps to continuous self-motivation that I found interesting.

    https://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/8-steps-to-continuous-self-motivation.html

  20. I completely agree with the concept of how the work environment affects productivity and job satisfaction, but what are the work environments of the music industry? I found some reviews from past employees of both Universal Music Group and WME to get a small glimpse of what its like at two of the biggest music groups. From what is posted, it looks like Universal has a somewhat dissatisfied employee base, where nearly all express interest in the music business but find Universals environment Pushes them away from the work. Dr. Renard Mentioned in class that William Morris Endeavor was a great place to work where you can make many connections, and that’s exactly what many other past employees have said. WME has great reviews with very little complaints. The work culture is motivating for most and drives them to do their best work. This video not only shows ways to be a good leader, but also shows what is needed to be a good team member. My biggest take away is the importance of finding a job and work place that has a balance of meeting our intrinsic and extrinsic needs. By working to meet these needs, we can help ensure that we bring our best work to the table every day, and push ourselves to grow and thrive in an industry we want to work in.

    Reviews of Universal Music Group:
    https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Universal-Music-Group-work-environment-Reviews-EI_IE11794.0,21_KH22,38.htm

    Reviews of WME:
    https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/WME-Reviews-E234826.htm

  21. The concepts in the video about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are very insightful in helping build a strong team. I agree that there needs to be a balance between the the two with a bit more focus on intrinsic since the best motivation comes from within. With that being said, in my opinion the video didn’t provide a lot of information on how someone can build their own intrinsic motivation. I view this as the most important motivation (especially as college students) because just like love, if you can’t motivate/love yourself, how could you motivate/love someone else? The following article details 27 simple ways an individual can intrinsically motivate themselves: https://www.positivityblog.com/motivate-yourself/

  22. Leadership is something I’ve learned well over the years, particularly from my sixteen years in the military. The intrinsic and extrinsic motivation aspects are not new concepts either, although I subscribe more so to the strength based leadership model. This model helps to ensure team members are using the full potential of skills they are already proficient in while also building skills that they can improve upon. Check out the article below for more info:

    http://psycnet.apa.org/record/2014-24041-002

  23. I am no stranger to the realm of leadership as I have held multiple positions across many different groups and organizations. Because of this, I know all too well about the different types of leadership, such as more militant direction, or that of an avant-garde, we are all one style. Both of these are of course extremes. Though there is no sure-fire way to get a group of people together, there are techniques I have found useful in my quest for interpersonal cohesion.

    The video explained the difference between the intrinsic and extrinsic factors which lead to motivation, and I agree that there should be a balanced mix of the two in order to inspire people. That being said, people should be inspired to work with you, not for you. If you come off too strong, you might scare someone off or seemingly worse, build a lack of respect. Respect, being the center of all relationships platonic or professional, is not something that you want to lose with your coworkers.

    The best way I have seen leadership work is via inspiring people by doing what you want them to do. No one likes a hypocrite, and the same idea applies in group work as well. I distinctively remember one of my teachers at a leadership camp I attended in high school tell me; “Your peers will be watching you, and doing exactly as you do, whether good or bad”. These words stuck with me through all these years, and they lead me every day to be the best version of myself I can be. As Mahatma Gandhi said: “Be the change you wish to see in the world”, right?

    This technique starts first by taking a long hard look at yourself in the mirror and asking yourself what you want to see in a leadership position and also, perhaps more difficult, where your leadership faults are. It is so easy to point the blame on other people before yourself, and often times our self-image is much higher than we’d like others to know. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but what is essential is making sure that our own motivations and goals align with what we put out into the work environment. A great leader is someone who is willing to admit that they are not perfect, but are constantly and tirelessly working on themselves.

    For an astounding TED talk about self-leadership and other leadership advice, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlpKyLklDDY

  24. This video reminded of how my current band runs now compared to how my old band conducted themselves. My old band started out incorporating many of the ideas having to do with extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, as we were staring out almost from scratch. We were all friends in a very calm work environment(the jam room) and we all had ideas pouring into our music and how we carried ourselves during our first year as a band. It began to go downhill however, once things like drama, threats of eviction from the group, and closed mindedness to everyone’s ideas began arising. I was the first to leave with two of the remaining 5 following suit soon after.
    My current band was already in their second year when I came into their picture so by then they had experienced and learned. As of this moment, we are open to each other’s thoughts and often request feedback on music video drafts, demos, etc. We all fill in a little niche in the band that goes beyond playing our part We are also very friendly with one another and often engage in activities together outside of the practice room and off stage. Such casual interactions have helped us maintain positive relationships with each other by allowing us to get to know one another better by our character and finding things we can all relate to. This way, when it comes down to business, we come into work with a positive attitude and a better grasp on how to communicate with each other.
    Not only are we all on friendly terms, but we also motivate each other as well in a way that utilizes both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. We set a goal for ourselves and often times remind each other of the bigger picture of us playing month long tours across the nation with sold out crowds every date during times when either the band is in a situation or when one of us is in low spirits. It’s because of the fact that we always reassure each other that one day we will be on mountain much higher than our current one that we have been able to prevail through every obstacle that’s been placed in our way in our current transitional phase from being a local band to being recognized a national act. We find motivation through each other and we take it to make it our own personal motivation.
    This article discusses more in depth some of the same steps that my band is taking to efficiently manage ourselves and motivate our memmbers http://blog.sonicbids.com/6-simple-effective-ways-to-motivate-your-bandmates

  25. Team work is an essential part of college and work life as a whole but seems to be the most dreaded activity my most students. Often we feel like one person is pulling all the weight, as the video mentioned, which makes the experience very unenjoyable for most people involved. The video touched on some very interesting points on how to avoid that and keep people motivated within the group whether it be motivation within themselves or finding motivation within other factors such a incentives or short term benefit. What i found most interesting was the idea of using extrinsic motivation to help stem intrinsic motivation. Often we don’t always have motivation to do thing or participate in a certain event or group but using motivating factors such as inclusion an sense of purpose can instill that motivation inside of us.

    This article by Forbes magazine touches on the idea that its better to inspire your team to do better and give them goals that they want to set rather than forcing them to do things. This a helpful resource because it not only helps the team to want to do better, but also put the pressure on yourself to truly motivate your team to do better as well.
    link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/08/09/you-cant-motivate-your-team-but-you-can-inspire-them/#2b70790026b4

  26. As a lesson teacher and drumline tech I often have to motivate my students to get better. Through my years of learning I’ve had many great teachers and some bad ones. I remember being in a WGI group years ago and my bass tech was a terrible person. He’d cuss at us and yell at us for the simplest of mistakes. It eventually resulted in me getting out of that group before competitions started because I honestly became depressed. So, when I’m teaching I try really hard to interact with my students in positive ways. Most of my students are high school students who aren’t that much younger than me. I try to relate to them and work with them so that they don’t see me as a big scary teacher, but as someone who simply wants to help them get better as a musician. While teaching is not what I want to do with the rest of my life, except for maybe doing lessons on the side, I learned how to motivate people from my experiences in life and in my musical career.

    While it may not pertain to music business, a mentor of mine shared this with me when I told him I wanted to start teaching lessons and drumlines and I think it has a lot of things that everyone should know:
    https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1104&context=etd

  27. I am a senior here at UTSA and I have been involved in many group projects over the years. I really like being able to visualize the intrinsic and extrinsic factors of group motivation. However, i do think the work environment this video targets is different from an educational one (at least at this level). Many people I have worked with have a lack of intrinsic motivation that cannot be fixed by me, and i think it has to do with the fact that these people really just don’t want to go to school or do anything really. On the other hand, I have had extreme success with people that already possess some type of intrinsic motivation (they want good grades) that was amplified by our friendly relationship building, and furthermore by setting deadlines (aka extrinsic motivation).

    Below I have attached an article that explains why this type of video can better relate to a business setting rather than an educational one.
    https://www.askamanager.org/2016/07/no-group-work-in-school-is-not-just-like-in-the-real-work-world.html

  28. I found this video very informative. Something that stood out to me was his very first statement when he said that as a leader you must attend to the fact that some employee will not be as self motivated as you are. I think in life we get that a lot from our environments. I also agree that to have a team you do need to have balance.

    This article I found spoke on 5 golden rules to build a great team and the 1st one I lobe it is to be open minded I think that is the same as in the video above said in other words. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYRpK9HBlIY&frags=pl%2Cwn

  29. An aspect not pointed out in the video is how to be a good follower. While being a good leader and leading your team in the right way is important, having a supportive team is equally as important. We as individuals need to be open to taking a back seat in group projects and knowing our role we fit into within the group. By learning how to be a good follower, one learns how to be a better leader. An individual can gain humility and an openness to others when being a follower. You start to develop a view of the bigger picture. By understanding your role in the group, teamwork and cohesion will improve, because everyone will be in a more comfortable environment.
    For more on being a good follower check out:
    https://aboutleaders.com/being-a-good-follower/#gs.UaAI7mE
    &
    https://brianedick.com/2012/10/18/learning-to-follow-before-you-lead/

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