Maslow’s Hierarchy:A Framework For Understanding Ourselves?

The business manager must first become skilled at managing himself before he can hope to effectively manage others. This wisdom is from Peter Drucker, the man who literally defined modern business management. But where does one begin to better understand oneself? The easy answer is by continually watching, listening and pondering. A framework for interpretation can also be helpful.

One widely accepted framework for understanding human behavior was developed by Abraham Maslow (1908-1970), a renowned psychologist who spent his life studying people. And in contrast to most of his peers, he spent considerable time studying healthy, happy and highly productive people, rather than the sick.

Maslow concluded that humans have a natural, automatic, internal drive to pursue that which they need. Further, human needs are organized in a hierarchy, such that our basic needs must be filled before we can pursue higher-level needs. The accompanying diagram shows Maslow’s now famous “hierarchy of needs.” Here’s a brief explanation:

Level 1, Physiological Needs: Oxygen, food, water, rest, moderate temperatures, sex, etc.

Level 2, Safety Needs: When physiological needs are largely met, energy can be spent in search of safety and security.

Level 3, Belonging Needs: When Level 1 and 2 needs are largely met, we begin to feel a need for friends, affection, a family, and love.

Level 4, Esteem Needs: When Levels 1 through 3 are met, we begin to feel the need to garner respect from others and to develop self-respect. If successful, we enjoy a sense of confidence, competence, achievement, freedom, independence, etc.

According to Maslow, most of us have the first two Levels covered. Some of us, however, struggle to get the love and friendship we need. As a result, we suffer loneliness and exhibit social anxieties. A great many more suffer from esteem deficiencies (Level 4). Deficits at this Level manifest themselves as low self-esteem and inferiority complexes. Maslow claims that most psychological problems today are rooted therein.

Level 1 through 4 needs are “deficit needs.” C. George Boree explains them this way: “If you don’t have enough of one of these, you feel the need. But if you get all you need, you feel nothing at all! In other words, they cease to be important and motivating.” But, if all your deficit needs are met, you’ll begin to feel the need for:

Level 5, Self-Actualization Needs: A pressing need to realize your potential – to apply your unique talents and abilities to their fullest. Pursue this and real happiness, fulfillment and contentment are possible. In fact, unlike the deficit needs, the more we work toward self-actualization the better we feel! Ultimately, sustained feelings of satisfaction, joy and even euphoria are possible.

If more people exhibited Level 5 traits, the world would be a much better place. Unfortunately, Maslow believed that only a very small percentage of the population operates solidly in Level 5, perhaps as little as 2% of the population.

How can you get there? Begin working more on the path of your “calling” (a religious term), “highest and best use” (a real estate term) or “self-actualization” (Maslow’s term). Of course, make sure your deficit needs are being met. That includes addressing any hang-ups that might be blocking you from fully satisfying and moving beyond a Level.

Once your deficit needs are largely met, Maslow says there are two processes necessary for self-actualization: self exploration and action. The deeper the self exploration, the closer one comes to self-actualization. Some helpful tools for self-exploration include investigating and exploring topics of interest no matter how whimsical or “off the beaten path.” Also, prayer, meditation and sessions with a counselor, mentor or spiritual leader where free exploration and discovery is the goal are helpful.

Also, pay attention to your environment. Although Maslow says self-actualizers are robust and not highly influenced by their environment, they tend to want:

• truth, not dishonesty
• goodness, not evil
• beauty, not ugliness or vulgarity
• unity, wholeness, and transcendence, not arbitrariness or forced choices
• aliveness, not deadness or mechanization
• uniqueness, not bland uniformity
• perfection and necessity, not sloppiness, inconsistency or accident
• completion, not incompleteness
• justice and order, not injustice and lawlessness
• simplicity, not unnecessary complexity
• richness, not environmental impoverishment
• effortlessness, not strain
• playfulness, not grim, humorless, drudgery
• self-sufficiency, not dependency
• meaningfulness, not senselessness

When a self-actualizer doesn’t pursue his or her “calling” and/or is stifled by a highly disruptive environment, the result can be stress, depression, despair, disgust, alienation, and a degree of cynicism.

Finally, Maslow says we can gain insight into what needs an individual does or does not have covered by asking “What would a perfect world be like, for you?”

Sources:

• http://psikoloji.fisek.com.tr/0maslow.htm
• Posting of Dr. C. George Boeree at www.ship.edu

For more information:

• Toward a Psychology of Being, Abraham Maslow
• Motivation and Personality, Abraham Maslow
• The Further Reaches of Human Nature, Abraham Maslow