Figure 1, Maslows hierarchy
Maslow’s theory:
- Maslow believed that the lower needs in the pyramid (physiology and safety etc) needed to be at least partially covered before the higher needs (such as ego and self actualisation) could begin to be attained. (Mullins, 2007)
• He believed that once one set of needs was at least partly satisfied people would begin to be motivated by needs from the next category.
• Maslow also believed that people were often motivated by more than one set of needs at a time and that they place varying importance on different needs. This means that someone could be motivated by their basic need for food, shelter and comfort but may override these needs by refusing to do a job which contradicts their personal values.
I have been motivated from a young age to be an accountant, i have always had a passion for money both having it and helping businesses or persons handle their own financial status. Therefore i have always wanted to work in some area of finance and felt this course will help me to achieve a future in the financial aspect of the business world. For the next two or three years i will very much be motivating myself to get through this course with a respectable degree at the end of it. Relating my own motivation to maslows hierarchy will make me very motivated by the lower needs such as physiological and safety.
A time when i found myself deflated and de-motivated was during my first year in sixth form in one of my chosen subjects i found myself getting marked below my predicted grade which de-motivated me greatly and i felt i was wasting my time with the course. The factor that began to motivate me took the form of one the teachers who was head of that particular subject and he took me to the side and we had a face to face conversation in which he convinced me to retake that exam and the reward i got from the retake was that of a grade better than i was initially predicted. This motivated me again within the subject and also within the other subjects that i was undertaking that year. If i were to fix something in this it would be my mental state after the results i would like to be my own motivator rather than relying on other persons around me to motivate me.
Maslows hierarchy is a motivational system that is used in many of modern days successful businesses such as John Lewis and Waitrose. Motivation can help persons within their everyday life events such as losing weight or gaining a better grade, motivation can also be used in a business to motivate their employees which will keep them happy and working hard.
Reference:
Herzberg’s two factor: Management and organizational behaviour. Laurie J. Mullins. Published by Pearson Ltd 2007.
