Victor Vroom has worked as a professor of business at Yale University, as well as a consultant for various corporations throughout his career. Vroom's expectancy theory, which is his most famous contribution to the field, states that employees have many different goals, and will be motivated if they believe that their work will help them achieve their desired goals.

The management theory of Victor Vroom basics include expectancy theory for managing employee decisions and the contingency model for evaluating leadership decision making. Expectancy theory contains the three main concepts of valence, instrumentality and expectancy, while Vroom's theory of leadership styles includes three main styles: autocratic, consultative and group-based.

When learning the basics of the management theory of Victor Vroom, do the folowing:

1. Become familiar with Vroom's expectancy theory;

2. Understand Vroom's theory of leadership styles and decision making;

3. Implement Vroom's theory in your own goal setting and leadership.

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Know the basics of the Victor Vroom expectancy theory

The Victor Vroom expectancy theory of motivation involves three types of motivators or goals that may influence employees to act. The first element in Vroom's expectancy theory of motivation is valence, or what individuals value, the second is expectancy, or what employees believe they are able to accomplish given their skills and training, and the third is instrumentality, or the promise of rewards for work.

I recommend: Consult Value Based Management.net for definitions of valence, expectancy and instrumentality. 12Manage offers an explanation of the fundamentals of Vroom's expectancy theory as well as a diagram of how valence, expectancy and instrumentality influence employee decision making.

Learn about Vroom's theory of business leadership styles

Another motivation theory developed by Victor Vroom, together with P. W. Yetton, is the contingency model of leadership decision-making. Yetton and Vroom's motivation theory argues that based on a manager's leadership style, he or she may make decisions that are autocratic, which rely solely on the leader's judgment, or that are consultative, which take into account some input form others or are entirely group-based, facilitating a consensus decision.

I recommend: Changing Minds.org offers information about different types of autocratic, consultative and group-based decisions. Holistic Management also provides questions for managers to answer about their own leadership decision-making and a tree diagram of how the Victor Vroom contingency model works.

Apply the management theory of Victor Vroom basics to your workplace

Vroom's theory of management, either of employee decision-making or management leadership styles, is easy to implement in your own workplace. Victor Vroom has collaborated to develop his own software programs for use by managers and business leaders, and expectancy theory can inform goal setting procedures at any level in the workplace.

I recommend: Use the Goal Setting Guide to integrate the ideas of Victor Vroom into a set of recommendations for a smooth and effective goal setting process that you and your employees can use. The Decision-Making for Leaders analysis software developed by Victor Vroom is also available online, and can help you find your leadership style in order to improve leadership effectiveness.

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• •  For more information about Victor Vroom and his ideas, read some of his major works. Vroom's most significant books include 'Work and Motivation,' 'Leadership and Decision-Making' and 'The New Leadership: Managing Participation in Organizations.'

Victor Vroom is perhaps most famous for his work with Expectancy Theory, which forms the basis for his motivational model. Vroom's version of Expectancy Theory grew from the premise that employee performance depends on a number of complex, interrelated factors (i.e., personality, skills, knowledge, experience and ability). Expectancy Theory is built on the relationship between three concepts: Valence (the value an employee places on a specific reward or outcome), Instrumentality (the likelihood that a particular action will lead to a desired outcome), and Expectancy (the belief that effort will lead to the successful completion of an action which will achieve the desired outcome). Through understanding the dynamics of this theory, managers become better able to meet employees' needs, facilitating the completion of the Expectancy cycle.

Another contribution Vroom made to management theory was his Leadership Model, which sets forth five leadership styles managers may use for decision-making. The five styles follow.

1. Autocratic 1: In the first style of Vroom's theory, the manager makes decisions with already available information.

2. Autocratic 2: Manager seeks additional information from the group before making decisions.

3. Consultative 1: Manager consults individual employees before making decisions.

4. Consultative 2: Manager consults the group before making decisions.

5. Group 2: Manager acts as chair, allowing the group to make decisions.

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Understand the concepts of Victor Vroom's management theory

Numerous websites provide valuable information about Vroom's theory. In addition to diagrams and summaries of Vroom's Expectancy Theory, you'll find various videos and instructional materials that can help you develop the background knowledge and practical expertise to put the management theory of Victor Vroom to work for your company.

I recommend: For a quick overview of Victor Vroom Expectancy Theory, visit QuickMBA. Scribd also offers a 47-page PowerPoint presentation on Motivation Theory, including a substantial section on Vroom's Expectancy Theory of Motivation. Westbrook-Stevens, LLC, offers a workshop on The Seven Attributes of Excellent Management, based on Vroom motivational theory. The website provides a course outline and describes the major principles taught in the workshop, which is based on the book Geronimo Stone (available as a free e-book) by Craig Stevens, who teaches the workshop.

Seek guidance for incorporating Vroom theory into your management program

Consultants with knowledge and experience in the management theory of Victor Vroom can guide you in maximizing the benefit of his principles in your own company's unique environment.

I recommend: HR Consultants, Inc., provides management and HR consulting services that can help you apply the principles of Vroom's motivation theory. Hayes Management Consulting offers consulting services which are based on Vroom management theory and aimed at the healthcare industry.

Take advantage of resources designed to help you make the most of Vroom's theory

Widely available online tools and resources can help you more easily implement Vroom's management principles. Videos, tables, surveys and other sources of information and services related to Victor Vroom's motivation theories let you choose the resources most valuable to your business.

I recommend: ACCEL Team offers its Supervisor's Guide to Employee Motivation, which includes an explanation of Vroom Theory. The Guide can be accessed online or purchased as a PDF file. The downloadable PDF file contains a number of helpful tools, including checklists, tables, graphics and a survey. In addition to its consulting services, HR Consultants also offers an online curriculum which can prepare your managers to lead and motivate employees. The company's website offers a Leadership Video Demo. Free Management Library offers an online learning module called Basic Skills in Management and Leadership, which includes Vroom's leadership theory.

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Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  You'll likely find the many facets of Victor Vroom's management theory fascinating, as you delve more deeply into it. Take advantage of as many Vroom-related online resources as you can. It will be well worth your while, as you learn to put his Leadership and Expectancy theories into practice to help your company mature.

When Victor Vroom first started espousing his expectancy theory of motivation from his station at the Yale School of Management, it seemed to be common sense. Employees will put more effort in if they think it will boost their performance, which will in turn gain them higher rewards. Being that the employees want the rewards, they are motivated by the expectancy of them. But Vroom's expectancy theory was much more than common sense, and has changed the way many managers lead their business.

Educating yourself on Vroom's theory will help you to better understand what your employees want to receive from their work efforts. By gaining this knowledge, you'll more effectively motivate your employees to the task at hand. Management theory of Victor Vroom education and training can come in a variety of ways, including:

1. Studying the Vroom theory as part of a degree program in management theory.

2. Finding individual online training and information on Vroom's expectancy theory of motivation.

3. Reading magazines and other published works that discuss Vroom's theories.

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Work towards a graduate degree while studying the Victor Vroom expectancy theory

One of the latest graduate fields of study for those looking for a business or management degree is management theory. When you put your career emphasis on theory, you're able to learn more about great management minds like Victor Vroom and become a better leader yourself for their work.

I recommend: Amberton University includes a course in expectancy theory as part of their management graduate degree requirements. Western Technical College allows students to study Vroom's expectancy theory as part of their studies on organizational behavior.

Seek out individual training to gain information about Victor Vroom

Sometimes, graduate work just doesn't fit into your schedule. Instead, you could choose to instead find training opportunities that you can handle in your own office on your time.

I recommend: Mind Tools offers an eBook on Vroom's expectancy theory for download by their premium members. Training software from Oak Training covers motivation theory in general and expectancy theory in particular.

Utilize published works that offer ongoing information on Vroom's expectancy theory

If you want to learn more about Vroom's motivation theory without spending a lot of time, locate articles in some of the organizational magazines to which you already subscribe. By keeping up with the latest training and information on expectancy theory, you can stay on top of the best ways to apply this knowledge to your team.

I recommend: Thinkers magazine offers articles on various points of organizational behavior, including Vroom's expectancy theory. The Journal of Managerial Issues often includes pieces covering the latest application of Vroom's management theory.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  It's important to remember that your motivational style likely won't be a direct corollary to Vroom's theory of motivation. However, if you're able to take something from your learning more of Victor Vroom and apply it to your daily work with your team, you're likely to end up with much happier and more productive employees.

Victor Vroom's work is relevant today in many ways. Essentially, Vroom believes that employees have expectations for their jobs and it is up to management to help meet those expectations in order to foster employee motivation.

Victor Vroom's Expectancy Theory has three key elements: valance, expectancy and instrumentality. This guide covers how those elements coincide to create a motivated employee as well as descriptions of Vroom's other working theories and organizations.

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Valence

In Vroom's Expectancy Theory, valence refers to the emotions employees associate with rewards for a job well done. It is up to managers to find out what each employee appreciates, and work to get the best work out of the employee by providing such rewards.

I recommend: 12manage provides more details regarding valence and other aspects of Vroom's Expectancy Theory.

Expectancy

Employees have an expectancy for what they are capable of accomplishing. Under Vroom's Expectancy Theory, managers must recognize an employee's job performance expectations and provide the proper training and education to increase those expectations.

I recommend: Visit QuickMBA for more information on the element of expectancy in Vroom's theory.

Instrumentality

Instrumentality is an employee's confidence in obtaining what they desire from their jobs, whether it be rewards, a promotion, a pay increase, vacation time or the like. It is the manager's responsibility to make sure employees receive the reasonable rewards and benefits they desire.

I recommend: Access Value Based Management's summary of Vroom's Expectancy Theory for more information on instrumentality.

Motivation formula

The final element of Vroom's Expectancy Theory is his motivation formula. Vroom calculates motivation as the equivalent of 'valence x expectancy (instrumentality).'

I recommend: Businesspme.com explains this equation further.

Normative Model

Vroom also theorized the Normative Model, also known as his Leadership Model. This model presumes that good decision making methods vary depending on the circumstances surrounding the problem. Vroom discovered five decision processes, two of which are autocratic, two are consultative and one is group-based.

I recommend: Discover more on each of the five decision processes by visiting Changing Minds.