What's Your Motivation?

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

• Each of us is motivated by needs. Our most basic needs are inborn, having evolved over tens of thousands of years. Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs helps to explain how these needs motivate us all.
• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs states that we must satisfy each need in turn, starting with the first, which deals with the most obvious needs for survival itself.
• Only when the lower order needs of physical and emotional well-being are satisfied are we concerned with the higher order needs of influence and personal development.

• Conversely, if the things that satisfy our lower order needs are swept away, we are no longer concerned about the maintenance of our higher order needs.

• Maslow's original Hierarchy of Needs model was developed between 1943-1954, and first widely published in Motivation and Personality in 1954. At this time the Hierarchy of Needs model comprised five needs. This original version remains for most people the definitive Hierarchy of Needs

By research, group work and discussion, you will learn what the five levels of the pyramid. Finally, you will develop your own project to demonstrate your understanding of Maslow's theory.

Through a series of quizzes, videos, and research, you will gain an understanding of each tier of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs pyramid. To summarize your findings, you will create a personal pyramid in your journal as well as an application project to use this information in the workplace to improve your leadership skills.

Task 1: Maslow's Pyramid

Watch this video. As the video plays, fill out the pyramid on your worksheet. Then think of 3 PERSONAL examples for each level of the pyramid.

Task 2: Self-Assessment

Follow this link to take a quiz regarding where you are on Maslow's Hierarchy.

After you get the results, write a paragraph reflecting on where you are currently at on the pyramid, where you would like to be, and what are some steps to take to reach that place.

Task 3: Concept Review

Choose one of the following videos to watch. Summarize how the video relates to Maslow's theory on your worksheet. Please keep the volume off or use headphones.

• Up: Reflecting on Maslow's Hierarchy using scenes for the film "Up"

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iucf76E-R2s        

• Real-Life Application: Examining the relationship between hungry students and academic success

              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz6bkE6WQNs

• Ratatouille:  Reflecting on Maslow's Hierarchy using scenes for the film "Ratatouille"

               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzQ9vrvTAtk

Task 4: Application

Read and take notes on this article regarding how to use Maslow's theory to develop better leadership skills in the workplace.

Now, read each scenario below and determine what level of Maslow's the employee is at, why their work performance has been affected, and what you can do as a leader to help your employee.

1. Jack has been your employee for over ten years. He has worked in the same position since he joined the company. At the beginning Jack was a hard worker, always willing to go above and beyond. As the years have passed, Jack seems to have lost engagement and often times appears bored. His quality of work has suffered greatly.
2. Susan is a single mother who just had a baby. You are her manager at a fast food restaraunt where she is paid minimum wage. She is very greatful for the opportunity, but often times seems really worn down. She seems to struggle with more complex tasks, but she has expressed to you that she would eventually like to go into management. 
3. Maria is the assistant general manager at your company. She does really high quality work, and has been a key reason why sales have improved over the last five years. Unfortunately, due to your busy schedule, you are typically unable to visit the facility and check in. You have been hearing through the grapevine that Maria is starting become unhappy, complaining that she doesn't feel appreciated by you and is thinking of leaving the company. 
4. You overhear one of your nurses, Michael, complaining about a homeless man who just came in from a drug overdose. He states that he is just lazy and needs to get his life together, claiming the man must not care about other people or his family. He doesn't understand why he doesn't just clean himself up and get a job.

Now that you have worked thorugh how to help employees reach their goals, summarize in a paragraph how you are going to use Maslow's theory to reach YOUR goals, both professionally and personally.

Turn in your worksheet once you have finished.

Test your knowledge of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs with this game. How did you do?

http://www.purposegames.com/game/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-quiz