Theory X and Theory Y

The Human Side of Enterprise , McGregor made the simple yet powerful observation that managerial practice often expresses some very deep assumptions about the nature of human beings : Two competing theories about human nature, he claimed, dominate the managerial thought-world.

Theory X says :

 "You Have to be Joseph Stalin to get your work done"

Vs

                                                                           

 Theory Y says:

" We need the gurus to remind us that    business is all about people; that if you trust in people, they’ll trust you back"

Prof. Prasad's influential way of making us understand this concept through a matrix expanded our horizon of  knowledge regarding these management practices and made me ponder his next words thoroughly .  He told us about the types of managers one encounters during one's life.

Theory X says that the average human being is lazy and self-centered, lacks ambition, dislikes change, and longs to be told what to do. The corresponding managerial approach emphasizes total control. Employee motivation, it says, is all about the fear and the pain. That's why the starting quotation compares this management strategy with  Stalinist philosophy.

               

Theory Y maintains that human beings are active rather than passive shapers of themselves and of their environment. They long to grow and assume responsibility.The best way to manage them, then, is to manage as little as possible. Give them water and let them bloom, say the Y-types. But please hold your horses.......because I am not done yet. 

These are the four cases as per my analysis :

Category 1: Theory X manager and Lazy Employee 

This combination is generally found in those organisation which are on the lower rung of the   ladder.Now in this case perspective matters. How???

                             

           

          

Theory X  manager's position is justifiable here in view of this fact that the workers under his supervision are Lazy so require "CARROT AND STICK"  approach but on the flip side we can say that showing  intimidating attitude towards the workers can backslide the whole organization to a lower level.              

           

Category 2: Theory X manager and Motivated Employee                         

This category is devil's cage because whatever you do you will not get your share of pie i.e. the bottomline remains the same that you will be treated as a lazy employee even if the reality is different.These type of organizations require no external conflicts as there is already a trust deficit there and also witness relatively higher attrition rate within the industry because an employee will always feel aloof from the organization goals. To say the least , a person requires  mettle to work in these organizations . 

 Category 3: Theory Y manager and Lazy Employee

                         

This category is contrast to category 2 because the tables have turned here as it presents a challenge to the manager rather than the employee and brings out the best of him/her because he/she is working against the flow of  river by expecting the unexpected from his/her lazy employees..............

Normally, these types of managers earn fame and popularity because they have the guts to bring the lazy employees out of their comfort zone who generally cling to their cozy corporate life.These organisations usually take more time to perform better in market just because it requires more time to bring the status quo to a more stabilized state.

 Category 4: Theory Y manager and Motivated Employee                         

This one represents those organisation who consistently perform better and set the   benchmark for others. 

Any other names for these organisations.....???? Hmm... Bellwether companies.   

This is an ideal condition in which every thing goes smooth and conflicts are generally absent.

But I do not want to pull my punches here and has to say that this scenario does not check the mettle of any manager because the adverse conditions are absent and learning curve for any manager will remain stagnant.