Question

kasra spends a lot of time chatting with her colleagues. she has her own office thats a bit separate from everyone else, so she walks over to the main suite to visit with everyone. her manager thinks she spends too much time socializing.

using mcclellands theory of motivation, how might he improve the situation?

a.) remind kasra shes on the clock and rely on her sense of responsibility to cut down on socializing
b.) assign kasra to do highly team-oriented work
c.) make sure kasra has challenging work, so she isnt so distracted
d.) set firm time limits for kasra to take social breaks and punish her if she doesnt stick to those limits

Explanation:

Analyze Kasra's behavior and motivation

Using the Manifest Needs Theory knowledge point
Kasra's behavior of walking over to the main suite to chat and spend time with colleagues indicates a high need for affiliation (nAff), which is characterized by a strong desire to establish and maintain friendly, warm interpersonal relationships.

Evaluate the options based on McClelland's theory

Using the Manifest Needs Theory knowledge point

• Option (a) relies on external pressure and a sense of duty, which does not address her underlying need for affiliation.
• Option (b) channels her high need for affiliation productively by placing her in a collaborative, team-oriented role where social interaction is aligned with work goals.
• Option (c) targets a high need for achievement (nAch) rather than affiliation.
• Option (d) uses punishment, which is not a strategy derived from McClelland's motivational theory.

Answer:

• a.) Remind Kasra she's on the clock and rely on her sense of responsibility to cut down on socializing
• b.) Assign Kasra to do highly team-oriented work (Correct answer)
• c.) Make sure Kasra has challenging work, so she isn't so distracted
• d.) Set firm time limits for Kasra to take social breaks and punish her if she doesn't stick to those limits