should I use theory x or y if $>>$ Despite the initial improvement after your talk, the situation deteriorates again after a few months. Their performance has to improve and in a sustained manner. But what can you do to make this happen? You understand that Shane and Cindy are young, relatively immature, and not used to a workplace, how can you motivate them to perform better? Then you remember, last year when you were doing a course on managing human resources, you had learned about theory X and theory Y$.$ These are motivation theories and motivation is the one thing that Cindy and Shane really need now.$$