Personal Reflection
It is evident that both the external and internal factors play an essential role in our daily
motivation. Reflecting on the intrinsic and extrinsic factors for motivation can significantly
determine the success of an individual. Therefore, it is ideal that the extrinsic factors motivate
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us to participate in specific activities (Cerasoli, Nicklin & Ford, 2014). Therefore, it is clear
that the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation play essential roles in our everyday activities.
During my placement in a leading company, part of my duties was the provision of
customer care services. I was motivated to interact with the customers of the company by
providing them with information that addressed inquiries about the company’s products.
Besides, my desire to grow in the management line was an essential component of my
decision to gain experience of 30 days in the company’s customer care department. Besides
the motivation to gain valuable experience in customer services, I enjoyed helping customers
resolve their complaints. At this point, I realized how important it was to be driven by
intrinsic motivation apart from just making company’s profits. Therefore, customer
satisfaction became my motivation as I gained skills and ability to retain company customers.
The psychological needs play an important role in determining the person’s behavior, which
is termed as self-determination by psychologists. This was an essential part of my placement
as I ensured competent handling of customer complaints by following company’s policies and
guidelines.
However, I felt frustrated when using techniques outside the company’s policies and
guidelines to resolve individual complaints. I felt like I had let the company down, but the
manager was always supportive through verbal motivation by accepting my professionalism
in resolving the entire customer problem. Despite the manager’s support, I felt frustrated for
failing to read the company’s manual comprehensively about policies and guidelines for
resolving customer problems. Therefore, achieving these lower intrinsic values or satisfying
the needs, workers are motivated by higher intrinsic values to learn new skills for improving
performance.
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Furthermore, during my placement, I was able to learn how to interpret situations for
better career growth. One of my essential experiences was learning the importance of
communication and inquiry from management and my immediate supervisor when faced with
challenging situations. This allowed me to efficiently and complete my duties. Also, there is a
critical difference between intrinsic motivation and self-determination in shaping one’s
behavior as well as achieving life objectives or goals. However, self-determination is
essential motivator from internal pressure which allowed me to perform well and an essential
element of my personality.
Therefore, this was a critical experience in my growth towards top management. I plan to
attend similar jobs after my college where I will ensure proper communication with
management and supervisors using the techniques. This will be a self-determination activity
without any external incentive as I aim for future customer satisfaction. I believe that to
achieve top management and leadership, both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation will
significantly determine my outcomes. It is also important not to be predominantly
extrinsically motivated because it will discourage my performance. I, therefore, should learn
to foster the intrinsic motives to bring out the best of my psychological outcomes; because
any lack of motivation can easily derail my ambition. I believe that my supervisors must
create the positive motivational environmental as this will improve performance orientation
through social comparison and realizing the set goals as well as focusing on self-referenced
goals (Judson, Volpp & Detsky, 2015).
I agree with the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in career development. It will be
important to reflect on what motivates me. Flow is the highest level of intrinsic motivation
which is typified by total immersion in the task. Flow will ensure a perfect match for the
perceived outcome of top management level, and the perceived ability to meet the target. It is
essential to create an immersion effect in case disturbance happens on my way up. As a
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young professional, it will be essential to give spontaneous and true praise effectively. It is
critical to work consistently without thinking when the reward will come; thus, making the
goal readily achievable. In overall, the complete removal of an award seems to be ineffective
approach since rewards and self-fulfillment motivate most individuals. It is important to
realize what motivates us as well as enjoying what we do even when the reward isn’t tangible.
In conclusion, it is essential to focus on both the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in our
career pathway development. People develop the right attitude, self-determination, and desire
to achieve a specific perceived goal. According to Rheinberg and Engeser, (2018), it will be
important to fully understand what motivates me most and remain self-determined for self-
actualization in life according to the hierarchy of needs by Abraham Maslow.
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References
Cerasoli, C. P., Nicklin, J. M., & Ford, M. T. (2014). Intrinsic motivation and extrinsic
incentives jointly predict performance: A 40-year meta-analysis. Psychological
Bulletin, 140(4), 980.
Judson, T. J., Volpp, K. G., & Detsky, A. S. (2015). Harnessing the right combination of
extrinsic and intrinsic motivation to change physician behavior. Jama, 314(21), 2233-
2234.
Rheinberg, F., & Engeser, S. (2018). Intrinsic motivation and flow. In Motivation and
action (pp. 579-622). Springer, Cham.
