Motivation LET II

Purpose Leaders spend a great deal of time and effort studying the technical aspects of their jobs. However, in order to lead effectively, they must also know what makes people “tick.” By studying human behavior, leaders learn why people act and react in certain ways. Plus, leaders who care about their subordinates and are attentive to their needs are more able to influence them in accomplishing unit goals. This lesson identifies those basic needs and it explains how they can be satisfied.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs According to psychologist Abraham H. Maslow, human beings are influenced by a progression of needs. In Maslow’s theory, human needs develop from lower to higher needs (see the illustration of a pyramid).

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

People generally behave in a way that first satisfies their needs for physical comfort and safety, then they satisfy their needs for social acceptance and ego gratification.

Leadership Demands the Study of Human Nature and Behavior For leaders to motivate, they must satisfy both the personal needs of their subordinates as well as their work-related goals. To lead effectively, leaders must demonstrate that they value and support their subordinates. Simple acts of kindness or an indication that they care about their subordinates can often change a poor attitude to a better one.

The leadership principle, “know your subordinates and look out for their welfare (or well-being).” The behavior of team members is often driven by their desire to satisfy certain physical and safety needs. By showing that you care, you can earn their trust and respect. If they trust you, they will willingly work to help you accomplish the mission. Leadership Demands the Study of Human Nature and Behavior

Human Needs Human needs are those necessary for a person’s existence and for mental and emotional stability. The human needs required for existence are physical or biological needs; in addition to food and water, they include the need for safety and security. Safety needs are one of the most basic of the biological needs and include the desire for security and for law and order. People need to feel secure.

Human Needs Psychological needs provide for mental and emotional stability: belonging or social acceptance, esteem, and self-fulfillment. There are three psychological needs. The needs for belonging and for social acceptance rest on the person’s desire to be an accepted member of the group and to have good personal relationships with all members. Psychological Need #1

Psychological Need #2 According to Maslow, esteem needs are just as important for human life as food and water. A lack of esteem can make people anxious and tense. To ease these tensions, people might engage in random or desperate activities.

Psychological Need #3 Self-fulfillment needs occupy the top of the hierarchy. These may include the pursuit of knowledge and beauty, or whatever else is required for the fulfillment of one’s potential.

Group Needs In addition to individual human needs, there are group norms that are established to meet the needs of the group. Groups have common goals and established leadership. In groups, personal relationships between the members cause them to conform to certain standards set by the group. When such groups want to achieve a goal, they will work hard and do their best in order to maintain acceptance by the other members of the group.

Group Needs This camaraderie is due to the need for social acceptance and status within the group — a force that is stronger in leaders because they need the respect of their subordinates for their own self- esteem. The group will have confidence and faith in their leaders as long as they meet the group’s needs and expectations. However, if leaders do not live up to those needs or expectations, group members will seek individual satisfaction instead of group satisfaction.

Leaders’ Concern for Group Needs Leaders must provide purpose and goals for the group. By selecting the best course of action to reach a goal, they provide purpose. Unselfish leaders avoid providing for their own comfort and personal advancement at the expense of others. Leaders should place the comfort, pleasure, and recreation of subordinates before that of their own.

Principles 1. Make the needs of subordinates coincide with unit tasks and missions. 2. Reward individual and team behavior that supports unit tasks and missions. 3. Counsel subordinates who behave in a way that is counter to unit tasks, missions, and standards. 4. Set the example in all things. 5. Develop morale and esprit within the unit. 6. Give subordinates tough problems, and challenge them to wrestle with them.

Principles (cont...) 7. Have subordinates participate in the planning of upcoming events. 8. Alleviate causes of the personal concerns of subordinates so that they can concentrate on their jobs. 9. Ensure that subordinates are properly cared for and have the tools they need to succeed. 10. Keep subordinates informed about missions and standards.

Principles (cont...) 11. Use positive peer pressure to work for you, the leader, and the unit. 12. Avoid using statistics as a major method of evaluating units and motivating subordinates. 13. Make the jobs of subordinates as challenging, exciting, and meaningful as possible. 14. Do not tolerate any form of prejudicial talk or behavior.

Tangible and Intangible Rewards People work for the opportunity to receive tangible (a plaque) or intangible (a “pat on the back”) rewards, and the need to believe that their work is necessary and important.

Positive Feedback Some leaders tend to focus on mistakes, they forget to comment on jobs that are done well, or they do not praise people who are giving their best effort. Researchers have found that positive feedback is much more productive than negative feedback in motivating and producing changes in behavior.

Conclusion Your knowledge and proper application of human nature is essential — it is the bedrock of a your character as a leader.