What is it?
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a psychological theory that states that people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other, more advanced needs.
From the bottom of the pyramid to the top:
- Physiological needs (food, water, shelter, sleep, etc.)
- Safety needs (personal security, financial security, health and well-being, etc.)
- Love and belonging (friendship, family, intimacy, etc.)
- Esteem needs (self-esteem, confidence, achievement, etc.)
- Self-actualization (creativity, problem-solving, morality, etc.)
How is it useful?
It helped me build a team and friendships. Not everyone is at the same stage of life. Understanding the stage at which people are helped in adapting communication and hence, building a stronger connection.
Person A’s current priority might be in the “Safety Needs” where they are constantly worried about their job and financial security. A Person B’s current priority might be in the “Esteem Needs” where they constantly look for validation and recognition. If neither person understands and acknowledges that they’re with different priorities, it might appear to Person A that Person B is boastful and it might appear to Person B that Person A is overly cautious and lacking ambition. Recognizing the difference in priorities moves the question from:
“Why is this person like this?”
to
“What need of this person is making them be like this?”
When you’re building a team, every member might have different priorities in the pyramid and might require different levels of motivation.
- Someone that prioritizes “Safety Needs” might be motivated by job security and benefits.
- Someone that prioritizes “Esteem Needs” might be motivated by recognition and awards.
Limitations
- People do not always move through the hierarchy in a strict order.
- People can have multiple needs at the same time.
- Someone may pursue higher-level goals even when lower-level needs are not fully satisfied.