Question

Why is it important for leaders to have a good understanding of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and equity theory? Being a leader in an organization, how would you make best use of your understanding about these theories? Discuss with rationale.

Question from book (

• Daft, R. L and Marcic, D. (2014). Building Management Skills: An Action – First Approach, South-Western CENGAGE Learning, USA. ISBN – 13:978-0-324-23599-9)

Answer 1

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory in psychology developed by Abraham Maslow in 1943. This theory talks about needs of human being upon whose fulfillment a human being is satisfied. The more the basic needs are satisfied, the individual seeks to satisfy higher needs. If the basic needs are not satisfied the efforts to satisfy higher needs will be postponed. This theory talks about 5 needs discussed below:-

1) Physiological needs:- The physiological needs are taken at first or starting step for motivation theory because these are the strongest needs until they are reasonably satisfied.

2) Safety needs:- Once the physiological needs are satisfied the human being tends to satisfy the second level of needs which are security and stability.

3) Social needs :- After safety needs the human beings tends to satisfy their social needs. Man is a social animal, he wants to a social group where his emotional needs for love, affection, friendship are satisfied.

4) Self-esteem:- Fourth in the hieararchy of needs is ego or self esttem needs which is concerned with self respect, self confidence, appreciation, power, control.

5) Self-actualization:- This level of need refers to the realization of one's full potential. The desire to accomplish everything that one can, to become the most that one can be.

Following are the reasons that make it important for leaders to have a good understanding of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and equity theory:-

1. It helps the leaders in understanding how to motivate the followers
2. This is very simple, common, and easily understandable theory
3. It accounts for both inter personal and intra personal variations in human behaviour
4. It is dynamic because it presnts motivation as a changing force; changing from one level needs to another level needs.
5. It is relevant in almost all fields of life

Being a leader in an organization, best use of understanding about these theories i can make.

With Maslow’s theory, an employee’s beginning emphasis on the lower order needs of physiology and security makes sense.Generally, a person beginning their career will be very concerned with physiological needs such as adequate wages and stable income and security needs such as benefits and a safe work environment. We all want a good salary to meet the needs of our family and we want to work in a stable environment. Employees whose lowest level needs have not been met will make job decisions based on compensation, safety, or stability concerns. Also, employees will revert to satisfying their lowest level needs when these needs are no longer met or are threatened.The first priority of workers is their survival. It's hard for them to be motivated if their pay is unfair and if their jobs are always in jeopardy.This places an extra obligation on managers to act humanely when difficult organizational decisions such as staff reductions have to be implemented.