People prefer to be directed, do not want responsibility, and have little or no ambition. People seek security above all else. With Theory X assumptions, management's role is to coerce and control employees. Theory Y Work is as natural as play and rest. Commitment to objectives is a function of the rewards associated with their achievement.
People learn to accept and seek responsibility.
Creativity, ingenuity, and imagination are widely distributed among the population. People are capable of using these abilities to solve an organizational problem. People have potential. With Theory Y assumptions, management's role is to develop the potential in employees and help them to release that potential towards common goals. Theory X is the view that traditional management has taken towards the workforce.