Mcclelland's Human Motivation Theory
McClelland's Human Motivation Theory
Discovering What Drives Members of Your Team
Do you know what motivates team members?
One of your team members recently created a report that was so thorough and well-written that the board of directors asked you to make sure that she was praised for her efforts.
So, at your monthly staff meeting, you stood up in front of the group, and congratulated her on her achievement, and for the good impression she made for the team.
However, instead of smiling and appreciating the attention, she looked embarrassed. She lowered her head, and as soon as she could, she left and went to her office.
What did you do wrong?
Managing a group of people with different personalities is never easy. But if you're managing or leading a team, it's essential to know what motivates your people, how they respond to feedback and praise, and what tasks fit them well.
David McClelland's Human Motivation Theory gives you a way of identifying people's motivating drivers. This can then help you to give praise and feedback effectively, assign them suitable tasks, and keep them motivated.
Using McClelland's theory in the example above would have helped you structure your feedback for the person. You would have known that your team member's main motivational driver is affiliation, which means that she never wants to stand out in a crowd. So, your feedback would have been far more effective, and appreciated, if you had praised her in private.
In this article, we'll explore McClelland's Human Motivation Theory, and look at how you can use it to manage and lead your team more effectively.
Note: McClelland's Human Motivation Theory is also known as Three Needs Theory, Acquired Needs Theory, Motivational Needs Theory, and Learned Needs Theory.
Understanding McClelland's Theory
In the early 1940s, Abraham Maslow created his theory of needs. This identified the basic needs that human beings have, in order of their importance – physiological needs;
Discovering What Drives Members of Your Team
Do you know what motivates team members?
One of your team members recently created a report that was so thorough and well-written that the board of directors asked you to make sure that she was praised for her efforts.
So, at your monthly staff meeting, you stood up in front of the group, and congratulated her on her achievement, and for the good impression she made for the team.
However, instead of smiling and appreciating the attention, she looked embarrassed. She lowered her head, and as soon as she could, she left and went to her office.
What did you do wrong?
Managing a group of people with different personalities is never easy. But if you're managing or leading a team, it's essential to know what motivates your people, how they respond to feedback and praise, and what tasks fit them well.
David McClelland's Human Motivation Theory gives you a way of identifying people's motivating drivers. This can then help you to give praise and feedback effectively, assign them suitable tasks, and keep them motivated.
Using McClelland's theory in the example above would have helped you structure your feedback for the person. You would have known that your team member's main motivational driver is affiliation, which means that she never wants to stand out in a crowd. So, your feedback would have been far more effective, and appreciated, if you had praised her in private.
In this article, we'll explore McClelland's Human Motivation Theory, and look at how you can use it to manage and lead your team more effectively.
Note: McClelland's Human Motivation Theory is also known as Three Needs Theory, Acquired Needs Theory, Motivational Needs Theory, and Learned Needs Theory.
Understanding McClelland's Theory
In the early 1940s, Abraham Maslow created his theory of needs. This identified the basic needs that human beings have, in order of their importance – physiological needs;