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Team
Motivation
For
a team to fulfill its goals and participation to be rewarding for
members, motivation must be sustained for the team's duration. Motivation
is defined as an internal state--a need or want--that initiates
and directs behavior. A classic treatment of motivation is that
of Abraham Maslow as expressed in his "Hierarchy of Needs."
According to this theory, there are five principle layers of needs,
beginning with the most basic physiological needs. As each layer
of need is satisfied, the layer above becomes the prime motivator.
Maslow hypothesized these layers of need as:
- Sustenance
- basic physical needs such as food, water, shelter, air, sleep.
- Safety
and Security - a safe environment, stability, job security,
protection.
- Belonging
and Love - friends, spouse, family, a sense of community.
- Esteem
- respect from others, recognition, status, attention, reputation,
as well as, self-respect, competency, confidence, achievement,
- Self-actualization
- autonomy, acceptance of self and others.*
Some
theorists argue that in our society today, most individuals do not
proceed from fulfilling one level and proceeding to the next. Rather,
most partially fulfill each level simultaneously with physiological
and safety needs tending to be more satisfied than other levels.**
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Maslow's
Hierarchy of Needs-Strong Motivators of Human Behavior
(Figure
adapted from ©2002 Alan Chapman***)
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*Maslow,
Abraham H., Motivation and Personality, Second Ed. NY: Harper, 1970.
**www.accel-team.com, "Abraham H. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs."
*** www.businessballs.com
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