To be considered an effective leader, one must have the ability to motivate the group or team to achieve a level of quality of work, productivity and a certain level of satisfaction in the work carried out (Durbin, 2010, p.98). Whether one is a natural leader of the “problem solver” or “developer” type, there is one underlying trait that all successful leaders seem to share; it is the ability to motivate or move others to act. For example, Coca-Cola Inc. CEO Muhtar Kent was once asked whether visiting stores and manufacturing facilities (as well as other steps in the supply chain) was considered a prudent use of his time. Kent's response was that it is time well spent if it helps “motivate his employees” (Ignatius, 2011). It is clear that Kent understood that motivating his employees was an important part of the success of Coca Cola, Inc. Effective motivators can use different motivation theories and strategies to develop their skills and rally employees to perform at the highest level possible. These include expectancy theory, goal theory, and positive reinforcement. There are two main theories that can be used to understand motivation-based action, expectancy theory and goal theory (Durbin, 2010, p. 286). If understood, both theories can be used to increase leadership quality and motivational skills at the managerial level. Expectancy theory is a process-type theory based on ROI. In other words, if a worker has put a lot of effort into “X” amount of work, they will expect to be rewarded based on the effort they put into the task or project. What this theory means is that a person is more likely to volunteer for a project in which they feel they can "handle the most" and...... middle of paper .... .. quality of the work of others. By studying and gaining an understanding of expectancy and goal theory as well as positive reinforcement and recognition, a leader can learn to become a motivator when the need arises and help employees overcome challenges previously considered impossible to obtain. Works Cited Berl, RL, Williamson, NC and Powell, T. (1984). Motivating the industrial sales force: a critique and test of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 4(1), 33-39. Dubrin, A. (2010). Leadership: Research findings, practices, and skills (6th ed., pp. 98, 286, 290). Electronic edition: Cengage Learning. Ignatius, A. (2011). Chief motivator. Harvard Business Review, 89(10), 18. Sadri, G. & Bowden, R. (2011). Meeting employee demands: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs remains a reliable guide for motivating staff. Industrial Engineer: IE, 43(10), 44-48.