To Understand Leadership We Must First Understand the Individual

A complete organism is often thought of in terms of: The Physical – Flesh, blood and bones (body) Your physical wellbeing The Spiritual – State of mind (soul) Your mental health The Emotional – How you are feeling (will) The Mental – Intellect (mind) Your knowledge base

Important to understand how complex the Individual Really is. Must Concern Ourselves With the Whole Individual Physical, Mental, Emotional & Spiritual These should not be separated “A sound mind is a sound body”

What Are We? We have much to learn but we can accept the following truths: We are all different from one another We are all different from day to day We act and react differently in different environments We are all a product of what we have inherited and what we have acquired Inherited from our ancestors Acquired from the environment

Characteristics Typical to Humans

Mental Capacity At birth ⇒Inherited Key: How well this is developed Ex. Middle Class North America vs. Nomadic Herder in North Africa It is estimated that only 10% -12% of our mental capacity is developed in a lifetime: 75% of this by age “6”

Aptitude Health The ability to do skills well ⇒Inherited Ex. Carpentry finish work, athletes, artists, musicians – often never developed because it is not identified and coached/taught. Partially inherited: addictive personalities, immune deficiencies, inherited diseases Partially environmental: diet, life style; what you eat, drink, inhale

Attitudes, Beliefs, Knowledge & Habits ⇒ Acquired Within our power to change them Others cannot change these but can influence us to change them: Parents, church, media, peers, school, etc... I love living life

Interests ⇒ Acquired - Often how our aptitudes show themselves can be changed or expanded upon all through life; Some become hobbies, Others can become a driving force in our lives

“You are the sum of your heredity and your environment” Heredity – born with Environment – gained after birth Attitudes Mental Capacity Interests U=H+E Beliefs Aptitudes Knowledge Health Habits “You are the sum of your heredity and your environment”

Maslow’s Hierarchies of Needs “The Human Animal Is A Wanting Animal”

Physiological Needs The need to survive – basic animal instinct Air, Water, Food, Rest, Shelter Until these needs are met, to a reasonable degree, other needs are usually not important or possible so therefore are not motivators

Safety Needs Social Needs The need to feel secure Protection against danger, threat and deprivation It is possible to have a life Chelsey The need for association The Need To Be: Understood Respected Apart of something Accepted as you are “Man is a Joiner”

Self Fulfillment Needs Egoistical Needs Self Fulfillment Needs Relates to Self-Esteem: To understand and respect me Need to… Achieve Have status Gain knowledge Feel recognized Directly related to reputation The deserved respect of others The need to realize ones own potential for continued self development Ex. New knowledge & accomplishments Discuss diagram on handout

Things to Remember Human needs are organized in order of importance Our needs are not necessarily of our choosing We are often unable to identify our own needs – particularly higher level needs A satisfied need is not a motivator Our actions are prompted by a desire to satisfy our needs

In planning activities or programs where we expect enthusiastic action from people, it is important that we cater to needs which are not already met. We must recognize that satisfaction of higher level needs produces the highest degree of motivation