Master motivation to thrive as a leader.

Whether you are in a management role, a politician or indeed an officer who interacts with different stakeholders, you are engaged in a complex social eco system. In order to understand the individuals that you are working with and what motivates them, how you develop those around you and fundamentally how you create a supportive work place environment where everyone can thrive look to Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

"By understanding and addressing the different levels of human needs, we can create environments that foster growth, motivation, and well-being, ultimately leading to self-actualisation and fulfilment."

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a psychological theory proposed by Abraham Maslow in 1943. At its core, it lays out the belief that we must have the lower-level needs satisfied before higher levels needs can be addressed.

The hierarchical order as depicted below in pyramid form has five levels.

Physiological Needs: These are the basic necessities for survival, such as food, water, shelter, and sleep.
Safety Needs: Once physiological needs are met, the need for security and safety becomes prominent. This includes personal and financial security, health, and well-being.
Love and Belongingness Needs: After safety needs are fulfilled, social needs emerge. These involve relationships, friendships, and a sense of belonging to a group.
Esteem Needs: This level includes the need for self-esteem, respect, recognition, and accomplishment.
Self-Actualisation Needs: At the top of the hierarchy is self-actualisation, which is the realisation of one's full potential, creativity, and personal growth.

Understand and develop the "whole person".

Maslow's framework helps you understand the needs of the individuals you work with. At any given moment, a person's response to learning is dominated by whichever need has priority. The hierarchy is split into two phases:

Lower Order Needs: These relate to physiological and safety aspects of learning (physical and psychological safety). Progression to higher levels is not possible unless these needs are met.

Higher Order Needs: These include social, esteem, and self-actualisation needs. Motivation to progress through each level can be driven by extrinsic or intrinsic forces, but intrinsic motivation—the inner desire to achieve—is crucial in the humanist approach.

The Humanist Approach to Learning

This approach emphasises the development of the "whole person," focusing on emotional, social, and cognitive aspects of learning, and student autonomy. It is rooted in the belief that individuals have a natural desire to learn and achieve their full potential, making learning a personal journey of self-discovery and growth.

How to Use Maslow's Hierarchy in Coaching

As a coach, it's not solely your responsibility to ensure everyone's needs are fully met. People can function in various states of contentedness, and they have expectations from you that, although conditions may not always be perfect, they should at least be tolerable.

Here are some tips to partially or fully meet a person's needs:

Create a Comfortable Environment: Ensure the session's structure makes it physically comfortable. Choose a quiet, well-lit area, and reduce distractions.
Promote Safety: Make sure group members feel safe—both physically and psychologically. Establish clear norms and model empathy.
Foster Acceptance: Show care for your team and promote group interactions to make them feel accepted. Encourage open communication and celebrate diversity.
Encourage Pride: Motivate them to come up with new ideas and solutions. Praise from peers is even better than praise from the coach.
Celebrate Success and Effort: Be realistic about what you can achieve, but don't be skimpy when celebrating success and effort. Use reflective questions to help them acknowledge their growth.