Maslow’s Theory of Motivation – More than a triangle
No modern management book is complete without at least a cursory mention of Maslow’s Motivation Theory. It's usually depicted as a triangle or pyramid showing that the fulfillment of basic needs leads to loftier dependencies such as a desire for esteem or fulfillment. In actuality, Maslow never presented his ideas in the form of a pyramid. Though the depiction is not fundamentally incorrect, it is a simplification that has resulted in many important points that he expressed being overlooked.
At its very basic level, his theory is unassailable. A person on the brink of death from starvation or thirst will think of little else and will attempt little else other than the achievement of relief. A great example in literature is that of Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe. Though written over 200 years before Maslow published his theory, the main character climbs right up Maslow’s hierarchy as if Defoe had been using it as an inspirational idea for his book. Crusoe reaches a state very similar to self-actualization through the study of religion but only after his basic needs of food and safety were met.
Most management texts present the theory with minimal detail and tell you that it can be used to help motivate people. How to actually accomplish this is usually left up to the imagination of the reader. Maslow’s full Theory of Human Motivation has a great deal more to offer to a manager than what is usually provided by textbook authors, and a few of the many examples are explored below.
At its very basic level, his theory is unassailable. A person on the brink of death from starvation or thirst will think of little else and will attempt little else other than the achievement of relief. A great example in literature is that of Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe. Though written over 200 years before Maslow published his theory, the main character climbs right up Maslow’s hierarchy as if Defoe had been using it as an inspirational idea for his book. Crusoe reaches a state very similar to self-actualization through the study of religion but only after his basic needs of food and safety were met.
Most management texts present the theory with minimal detail and tell you that it can be used to help motivate people. How to actually accomplish this is usually left up to the imagination of the reader. Maslow’s full Theory of Human Motivation has a great deal more to offer to a manager than what is usually provided by textbook authors, and a few of the many examples are explored below.
The safety need – A prerequisite for effective change management
When it comes to safety, level II of the hierarchy, Maslow isn’t necessarily referring to freedom from physical danger as much as he is to the opportunity “to exist in a safe, orderly, predictable, organized” environment. As a manager, you are going to have to foster this before you can attempt any lofty organizational improvement goals.
Employees and subordinate managers need to feel at ease and protected in their roles before they will be inclined to stretch their comfort zone and adopt improved processes and practices that challenge the status quo. Threatened employees and managers will put up much greater resistance to change if they are already saddled with a chaotic, out of control environment not to mention concerns about their overall employment.
Employees and subordinate managers need to feel at ease and protected in their roles before they will be inclined to stretch their comfort zone and adopt improved processes and practices that challenge the status quo. Threatened employees and managers will put up much greater resistance to change if they are already saddled with a chaotic, out of control environment not to mention concerns about their overall employment.
Intellectual freedom – Critical to a successful team
Empowerment of the individual is a common concept in current management theory. Maslow describes several related freedoms as foundational attributes of high level satisfaction - “Freedom to do what one wishes so long as no harm is done to others, freedom to express oneself, freedom to investigate and seek information.” As a manager, creating an environment that fosters these freedoms is essential to promoting the personal enablement so often described in organizational goals.
However, doing this creates risk for the manager. People will make mistakes and will need positive guidance to get back on course, but the benefit to the team will be the development of numerous change agents who are not only more satisfied as members of the company but are unafraid to seek out and execute their own process improvement initiatives.
However, doing this creates risk for the manager. People will make mistakes and will need positive guidance to get back on course, but the benefit to the team will be the development of numerous change agents who are not only more satisfied as members of the company but are unafraid to seek out and execute their own process improvement initiatives.
Expressive behavior – Your workplace contentment thermometer
Maslow singles out this type of behavior for discussion because it usually does not have a functional purpose or a clear association with the fulfillment of basic needs. A happy person will smile even when alone, and an energized person will have a natural spring in their step. This may seem obvious, but as a manager you should be constantly observing and gauging these expressive behaviors amongst your employees.
When on a conference call with any particular group in a company, it is often striking how different the atmosphere can be depending on the attendees. Some teams naturally laugh and participate in good humor while enthusiastically conversing about the topic at hand. The bond between them and the enjoyment of their work spontaneously pours out. With other groups, it is like pulling teeth to elicit information and generate any real discourse about the subject being discussed. It is clear that their engagement is lower, and their productivity probably is as well.
Listen for humor amongst your team members, inside jokes and phrases that they have created, nicknames, and so forth. These are indications that your team is happy, engaged, and satisfied. If they share this humor with you, even better. It means they are comfortable with you as their boss, trust you, and like working for you.
When on a conference call with any particular group in a company, it is often striking how different the atmosphere can be depending on the attendees. Some teams naturally laugh and participate in good humor while enthusiastically conversing about the topic at hand. The bond between them and the enjoyment of their work spontaneously pours out. With other groups, it is like pulling teeth to elicit information and generate any real discourse about the subject being discussed. It is clear that their engagement is lower, and their productivity probably is as well.
Listen for humor amongst your team members, inside jokes and phrases that they have created, nicknames, and so forth. These are indications that your team is happy, engaged, and satisfied. If they share this humor with you, even better. It means they are comfortable with you as their boss, trust you, and like working for you.
Self-actualization – A valuable improvement tool
In Maslow’s theory, self-actualization is a level of high fulfillment where the individual is completely satisfied and doing what comes most naturally to them. There are limits to the extent that this can be realized within the constraints of a particular job function; however, many employees have a process or two in mind that they would really like to try and improve resulting in both high personal satisfaction and company benefit.
A manager who actively seeks out and nurtures these ideas can realize a tremendous amount of organizational improvement at no cost beyond a small sacrifice of day-to-day business capacity. Furthermore, the manager can leverage their skills to actively facilitate the completion of these personal projects by helping to carve two to four hours out of the week for the employee and assist them with organizing and tracking the venture.
A manager who actively seeks out and nurtures these ideas can realize a tremendous amount of organizational improvement at no cost beyond a small sacrifice of day-to-day business capacity. Furthermore, the manager can leverage their skills to actively facilitate the completion of these personal projects by helping to carve two to four hours out of the week for the employee and assist them with organizing and tracking the venture.
In conclusion
Maslow’s theory contains many nuggets of value to a manager. It is part of the foundational canon of modern management theory, but it is easy to glance at the inaccurate pyramid depiction and think that you know all that it has to offer. It is a good practice to go to the source yourself and create your own analysis and opinions beyond the scant details provided by textbooks. In doing so you can determine without bias what the key takeaways are rather than being at the mercy of what others thought worth passing along.