#davesdailychallenge (99): Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. In a 1943 paper entitled “A Theory of Human Motivation”, Abraham Maslow discussed his now famous hierarchy of needs. You can google the details of this but the overview is that human beings are motivated by a series of factors starting with physiological needs that make up the basis for human survival. If these core needs aren’t met the human body cannot function properly, or at all, and will eventually fail. Following these “base” needs are needs of safety, needs of love and belonging, needs of esteem, and finally, needs of self-actualization and self-transcendence.

“Wow Dave that’s wonderful…how does this apply to me?” -You

Great question! I’m glad you asked. I have found that the vast majority of issues facing members of any organization can be traced to one level of Maslow’s needs hierarchy. Let’s use an example: Imagine you are the leader of a team, temporary or permanent, it doesn’t matter. Someone on your team, whom we can assume has the requisite skill sets to perform, has their basic physiological needs met (food, water, shelter) yet they are consistently having issues with their work products and their ability to deliver results. What is happening here? As a leader, or even peer, of this person having trouble there are a few questions you can ask. Are the financial or health needs of this person being met as best as can be (SAFETY NEEDS)? Does this team member feel like they are a part of a team that cares about them and that they, in turn, can care about (BELONGING NEEDS)? Is this person uniquely aware of their full potential and are they meeting it (SELF-ACTUALIZATION NEEDS)? If you’ve been reading these challenges you know how I feel already about the blurring of the lines between our personal and professional lives but what if this person has major challenges in their personal life that are affecting their ability to produce in their work environment? You have the power to be a positive force in that person’s life. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs can help to guide your understanding of the motivations that drive us all and how you can be the best version of yourself. Good luck my friends!