There were a wide range of personalities at play in Armageddon. Harry Stamper, was the primary leader within the story, with AJ the ambitious next generation aspirant, his daughter Grace embodied the strong, supportive and determined woman of the modern era. The various personalities of his crew aptly represented the various excesses of the common man. Rockhound loved women, brilliant yet needing leadership and adventure. Bear was a tremendous physical presence, yet very much a member of the team. Max portrayed the troubled first mate that sought to make good for his children. Dan Truman the NASA leader, led the government forces, yet backing down to Harry throughout the story. The not quite villain was played by the governments general that were forced to accept the opinion of the scientists rather than an obvious course of action. Andropov, the Russian, was a form of comedic relief, coupled with heroism, a beneficial addition to the overall movie.
In every instance, Harry was the clear and decisive leader, illustrating the best of the American people.
What kind of emotional intelligence do you think Harry’s team has? Cite an example and relate it to the material you learned in class:
Harry’s team readily demonstrated various forms of Emotional Intelligence. Harry, used his talent to quickly assess and identify the looming issue and make command decisions. Although a mixed model of leadership practice, the potential for empathy and understanding were present. Grace illustrated the ability to perceive the emotional state of the situation and provide support; this was a pivotal role that needed to be filled. Rockhound provided a mixed method of Emotional intelligence; clearly have the capacity to outthink most of the others, yet lacking the emotional skill to implement his opportunities. Overall the team itself exhibited a mixed method that allowed a quick appraisal of the current scenario followed by a decisive and skilled solution.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
The entire crew exhibited the Maslow hierarchy the moment that they asked the government for a reward before they finally agreed to perform the work. The fact that they no longer wanted to pay taxes, as well as create opportunities for advancement and recognition and building elements of job security and salary needs, the crew found ample reward in the taking on of the mission. Each of them experienced the full range fulfillment potential.
Two Factor Theories
Harry, AJ and the crew employ the motivators of job satisfaction and the potential to save the world as the driving components to their taking on the task. By achieving their goals, they would attain the higher level satisfaction and opportunities that each desired.
Acquired Needs
AJ has the clear need to achieve and be successful in order to feel good in Harry’s eyes. This acquisition of the need for achievement and power, clearly demonstrate this theory in action.
Equity Theory
Rockhound, Bear and the crew demonstrated this theory the night before take-off when they attempted to avoid arrest by throwing their position around. Each one sought social equity in return for their efforts.
Expectancy Theory
Dan Truman put the Expectancy theory into practice with the proposed mission. The effort to of the professionals to place the explosive in the correct place will produce the results of the highest value.
Reinforcement Theory
Harry Stamper begins the movie with this theory. Chasing AJ around, and then firing him aptly reinforces the expected behavior for the rest of the crew.
- Needs such as money, recognition, friendship and achievement often drive individuals to seek out organizations to join. Their values and attitudes influence their needs by forming their personal approach to the environment. Individuals will seek out unique elements from the work environment.
- The practice of cutting in one area while rewarding in another holds the potential for benefits, yet, there is a substantial opportunity for detrimental factors. This policy will spur competition and very likely up performance in the short term. However, long term direct competition has the potential to turn sour, which will bleed into the base work environment, which will in the long run serve to ferment hard feelings. This policy would be best employed in a balanced, conservative manner, with a real delicate approach.
- A real leader must work diligently to avoid providing a carrot and stick manner of motivation. This form of give and take is detrimental in the long term and leads to a loss of revenue in most cases. Leadership must work to achieve beneficial employee engagement policies that serve to provide the staff with a continuous factor of positive motivation as well as meeting their higher-level needs. Providing empowerment will serve to cement true leader’s position in the group.
- I would not agree the hygiene factor cannot provide an increased level of satisfaction. Encompassing the factors of working conditions, pay and interpersonal relationships, the Hygiene factor is a primary social component that will aid in the smooth day to day operations of any operation.
- If I were the owner of a small firm I would institute a profit sharing program as a form of motivation for the employees. I theorize that by illustrating that the more the company works as a team, the better everyone reaps the rewards, the overall and long term potential for success will emerge. Alongside this base approach would be a comprehensive health care package as well as long term salary incentives that would serve to provide the employees with a sense of achievement and recognition. Overall, the company would seek to retain the best employees for long term positions with the goal of building a strong infrastructure.
- The reinforcement and expectancy theories are similar to the carrot and stick method in that they both use a form of competition to motivate the employees. Reinforcement employs immediate gains or losses while expectancy builds up expectations towards a goal that can be shifted due to the job conditions. These often work in the short term due to associated turn over factors as well as initial competition benefit.
- It is important for leaders to understand the equity theory in order to better understand the motivation behind their staff. With recognition of the factors that drive an employee to act in a certain manner, leadership will have the capacity to adapt that behavior to a beneficial form that is good for the operation.
- The behavior of leadership does play a key role in the level of employee engagement. With policies that determine practice and operations, the leadership has the ability to build positive relationships or construct a state of separation and limited contact. Each leader will take a slightly unique approach illustrating the wide variety of avenues available.
- It is a responsibility for a leader to assist others in finding meaning in their work due to the fact that the component adds value to the leaders own efforts. The ability to create a positive environment, in any work environment will enable a far better overall experience. In the fast food industry, leadership could stress the flexible hours and experienced gained with good recommendations as a beneficial component that will motivate employees to find a reason to come to work and do their best. Employees at that airport should be motivated by the steady paycheck and certainty of a job. Those are both hard things to come by in the modern economic environment. With hard work and a positive outlook, that position can turn in to a stepping stone to something more.
- The reinforcement theory is demonstrated with the application of reward and punishment. In the short term this would provide some motivation for better grades, yet, the older the student the larger the reward would have to be to maintain relevance. Overall, this approach instills a sense of payment for the educational experience, which is not always the best way to absorb information.
Works cited
Daft, Richard L and Patricia G Lane. The leadership experience. Mason, Ohio: Thomson/South-Western, 2005. Print.
