Self Motivation and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Introduction

One of the most popular theories of human motivation developed in the 20th century comes from Maslow’s (1943) hierarchy of needs model. The hierarchy of needs is based on the idea that basic, fundamental human needs such as love and shelter must be obtained before a person can go on to satisfy higher order needs such as the need for esteem or the need to be independent and self-motivated. At the top of the pyramid developed by Maslow is the goal of self-actualization, which means that a person is motivated to succeed by an innate desire and does not rely upon any extrinsic motivation. This paper will describe the principles of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and explain how they can be used in the workplace of industry, military and psychology.

The Hierarchy of Needs Model

There are two main types of motivation, extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic motivation is external to the person and is used to drive a person towards a goal; it can be something as simple as a promise of a bonus. Intrinsic motivation is different in that it comes from inside the person; the individual is driven to achieve a goal because of an innate desire inside to grow, develop and accomplish good things (Gerhart & Fang, 2015). The goal of human motivation is to get people intrinsically motivated so that they can perform at a high level for the good of the thing they are doing. In other words, intrinsic motivation corresponds with the expression that virtue is its own word. It is thus that at the top of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid one can find self-actualization—the ability to achieve one’s fullest potential.

Maslow (1943) posited that the most important needs that had to be met first and foremost were the physiological needs: food, water, warmth and rest. If a person was unable to eat or to be rested, it would not matter what the job was because he would not be in a condition to operate to his fullest potential. A human being’s most essential needs must be met before he can ever be expected to achieve great results.

Once the basic needs are met, the human psychology comes into play. Here is where Maslow (1943) argues the next set of needs must be met: security, shelter and safety needs. If a person does not feel safe, he will be psychologically agitated, constantly anxious about his own position; constantly worried or vexed about what might happen to him. He must be made to feel secure, safe and sheltered. If he has no sense of this, it will not matter how well he is fed or how much rest he has because there will be an underlying psychological paranoia that will prevent him from climbing upward to his higher order of self. It is no different from what Schyns and Schilling (2013) say about effective management: if employees do not feel safe and secure with their managers they are not going to perform and they may even actively seek to sabotage the workplace. Disengaged leaders promote anxiety and instability; people who do not feel safe and secure are not going to be able to measure up to expectations.

Next on the psychological ladder towards self-actualization is the need for friendship, belonging and love. These are psycho-social needs that often have an emotional component to them considering that human beings are social creatures. This is also one reason leaders are encouraged to develop social and emotional intelligence skills today (Goleman & Boyatzis, 2008; Hendon, Powell & Wimmer, 2017). People have emotional needs that have to be respected: people want to feel that they are part of a team, a group, a collective; it gives them a sense of identity, a sense of purpose, a sense of place, beyond that which a physical place called “home” can give. Identifying with others by way of friendship, a shared sense of values, and a feeling of belonging and acceptance is crucial for the psychological and emotional and social development of the individual. This is expressed in Erikson’s model of human development as well, in the various stages of conflict that every person progresses through over the course of his whole life (Malone, Liu, Vaillant, Rentz & Waldinger, 2016).

Having that sense of belong contributes to the development of self-esteem, which constitutes the next to last rung on the ladder to self-actualization. The need for esteem relates to feelings of self-worth, prestige, appreciation, acknowledgement for one’s contributions, a sense of respect from others and self-respect for oneself. These feelings generally come from reinforcement, positive feedback and supportive interactions with others based on the perception of a job well done. One has to have accomplished something worthwhile at this stage in order to achieve adequate levels of self-esteem. A false esteem will not satisfy the conditions for moving upward because true esteem, i.e., a sense of one’s own skills and abilities and their value to society, is needed for self-actualization to be within reach. One cannot just be given a participation trophy by a well-meaning teacher and told that he has done a good job even though he has done nothing special to deserve the praise. That does not give the person an accurate sense of his potential or value but rather artificially inflates his pride and vanity. When deflated and not reinforced by subsequent deference to egoism from others, the pride collapses and the person is unable to self-actualize; the sense of what his real value is has never actually been determined (Walker & Bright, 2009).

The final level of the hierarchy is where self-fulfillment needs are satisfied. This is where one reaches one’s creative potential and is motivated by a desire to show what one can do and do it well. This is what is meant by self-actualization. The individual is self-motivated and driven to succeed because he recognizes the potential within oneself and is eager to fulfill that potential because he sees it is good in and of itself to do so.

How the Principles are Used and Relate to Leadership in the Workplace

These principles of motivation can be used in all settings, whether in an industry setting, a military setting or a psychology setting. Essentially, it is about keeping things positive but real—for leaders they must realize that no one is going to be motivated neglect or disengaged managers. Leaders should be hands-on, honest, but supportive. Their followers must be able to see that their best interests are at heart and they must feel that their needs are being satisfied, from the most basic—food, rest, shelter, security—to the most complex, i.e., no false esteem but rather real, valid praise in a supportive environment that does challenge them to develop their skills to the fullest.

One reason there is so much turnover in the nursing industry is that nurses are overworked and have little job satisfaction. They do not get the rest they need, which prevents them from attaining a high level of motivation; they get burned out and lose interest and job in the job (Leiter & Maslach, 2009). In any industry, it is important that leaders make sure their employees are getting appropriate levels of rest so that they do not get burned out. Burned out employees tend to have little job satisfaction, and when that occurs morale implodes and problems ensue.

The principles of the hierarchy can also be applied in terms of making sure employees have a sense of community and belonging in their workplace. In some industries it is common for silos to develop or for in-groups to keep others out of the decision-making processes that have meaning and importance. Employees are not going to be motivated if they feel they are not part of the team or that their input is not worth considering. Leaders need to be engaged to make sure there is a spirit of friendship, respect and appreciation in the workplace. A lot of this will have to do with developing an effective workplace culture of inclusivity. The more welcomed and respected employees feel, the more likely they are to want to contribute. At the same time, it will not be good to instill false esteem in workers. False esteem can prevent one from becoming self-actualized, particularly when the person is challenged to perform at a high level and finds that his skills are not up to where he has been led to believe they are by all the praise he has received from others around him. Praise should be given when it is deserved. Leaders should not lavish it intemperately.

In the military, positive psychology is used to promote well-being among soldiers. Resiliency training is given to Army leaders so that they can demonstrate the kind of social and emotional intelligence needed to facilitate the development of their soldiers in times of crisis (Casey, 2011; Reivich, Seligman & McBride, 2011). The emphasis resilience is what helps the soldiers to stay focused on developing themselves in accordance with the ultimate goal of becoming self-actualized. The military leaders make sure the basic needs are being met, and since the soldiers are in the military the sense of belonging and the need for community should be satisfied. The problems occur when the sense of self begins to break down—which occurs more often today than in the past because of the false esteem that so many young people are filled with today in schools and groups. Military leaders are thus faced with the task of being honest but also supportive with soldiers, helping them to develop their skills and giving them real esteem. The leaders need strong social and emotional intelligence skills to accomplish this goal (Reivich et al., 2011).

In the field of psychology, Maslow’s (1943) principles can be applied because they get to the heart of what it means to be a human being with self-worth. Every person receiving counseling is there because he wants to improve his life in some way. He is at point A and wants to get to point B or C or D. The hierarchy of needs gives the counselor a basic framework for helping the client. The counselor looks to see what needs are not being met, whether false esteem is an issue, and what kind of cognitive behavioral approach can be taken to help get the client to a place of self-actualization. Counselors must get to know their clients so that they can see where the obstacles are because clients may not always realize what is holding them back. By helping clients to see what is preventing them from making positive changes in their lives, counselors foster growth and development. Again, no false praise is given; instead, accomplishments are rewarded and celebrated. Whenever a client reaches a goal or accomplishes a task, there should be a sense of real esteem: the person has earned it and is moving towards self-actualization.