Exhortation Approach

Exhortation is an approach which can be applied to address the options issue. This approach can be considered as a motivational approach where it offers increments for the valuable work performed by someone. Humans by nature are motivated by a desire for incentives, therefor this approach will help to get things done.

Example — If Nimal pass the exam, Nimal’s father will buy him a cricket bat.

According to the above example offering a cricket bat is an incentive for Nimal to pass the exam. As a result, he will work hard to pass the exam.

Although this is a good approach to the options issue it is not successful in almost all the occasions. If the incentive provided for fulfilling a certain action is not so important for the individual who is going to perform the action, then this approach becomes useless.

Example — If Nimal already has a cricket bat the incentive provided will be useless.

And also if the provided incentives are not achievable, those incentives will become less important for the individuals.

Example — If Nimal was asked to pass an exam which is beyond Nimal’s age, it will become less important for Nimal to pass the exam.

Advantages

• This approach will motivate people as it provides them a reason to do their best.
• This approach will increase the competition among the employees. As a result of this it will improve the overall outcome if the competition works positively.
• This approach will give the employees the opportunity to earn more if they perform more. As a result of this it will give the employees the feeling that they are in control of their career.

Disadvantages

• Sometimes the employees who perform well and still fail to achieve the incentives will be demotivated.
• This will lead some employees to give up when they realize that they are not in a position to compete.
• At times when employees need to achieve the incentives they will tend to choose methods which will affect the company as a whole.