Origin of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a framework first introduced by Abraham Maslow in 1943. The framework remains popular in sociology, psychology, management, and sustainability. To me, it has been an important framework in how I approach individuals, teams, projects, programs, and even whole organizations.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs goes as follows:
Like most things in life, you have to start with the basics. I am going to walk through each hierarchy as I understand it. Applying the philosophy to personally and at the organizational level.
Physiological Needs
Everything has basic needs. Food, water, warmth, and rest are well understood at the personal level. We can extend this to an organization in the form of basic resources.
Personal
I view physiological needs quite literally as needs. I am privileged enough to live in the United States with the resources to have easy access to food, water, shelter, and rest nearly every day of my existence. Whatever my goals might be around sleep, optimal nutrition, hydration, and even warmth exist well beyond the basics. Have I had leans days? You bet.
With that said, it is extremely important to make sure you are consciously addressing your physiological needs. If you’ve got the time or resources to read this you are probably privileged enough to have access to everything you need. You are surrounded by people that don’t or won’t operate at this level and this is before we start to think about the billions of people that do not have the resources of the access to this level of stability.
For you to be successful, you need to consistently address these needs and help those around you to achieve a similar baseline. Meeting physiological needs are table stakes for good work!
Organizational
The same premise applies to a business or an organization. I think of it as revenues. If you cannot generate enough revenues to cover break-even expenses, this is where you need to focus. These are survival expenses, not luxury expenses. We’ve seen businesses big and small miss the basics here. If you can’t execute on the basics there is no possible way for you to succeed in more complicated aspects of sustainability. Simply stated, if you can’t generate revenues you have no business pursuing other aspects of sustainability. Further, this is where you can assess if you are providing the people within your organization enough resources for
Safety Needs
Personal
Maslow is suggesting that beyond having enough food, water, shelter, and rest that you will be able to bring more to the table if you are safe. I think this might extend into feeling safe, but that might be tricky territory, I am going to focus on physical safety. I think anyone who has had to adapt to an unsafe environment, even with safety precautions, can identify with the additional stress you experience. Your adrenaline is pumping, your senses are heightened, and you usually end the experience a little tired and possibly rattled. Think of changing a tire on the side of a road, or entering a construction site or industrial site for the first time, you can even think of a recreational moment when you’re a bit puckered.
Good news, you are responsible for your safety and for the safety around you. So you have a lot of influence in achieving this level of the hierarchy.
Organizational
I think of safety needs as they relate to a business or organization along two lines.
The first is organizational survival. That moment where the future of the organization for reasons beyond the resources of the moment. This could be market dynamics, regulations, leadership, management, etc. In short, something threatening the future of the business.
The second is human safety. I have worked at a lot of industrial sites. The differences between a site with a strong safety program and weak safety program are often immediately evident. Beyond the research that safe worksites are more productive and profitable, there is the human element noted above. Safety programs depend on what industry you’re in or working with. Safety can be as basic as clear walkways, appropriate lighting, and basic ergonomics.
Belongingness and Love Needs
Personal
We are a tribal species. We need connection and belongingness in our lives. These are relationships with your given family, your chosen family, your social circle, your peers, and your colleagues. We all live in communities and interact with a variety of communities. These are valuable relationships (positive and negative). Believe it or not, this is a skillset and you need to invest in these relationships continually. This is a space I invest heavily in (and will be working on my entire life).
Organizational
The same is true for an organization. Regardless of your structure, you have neighbors, peer businesses, communities you are a part of, and contentious relationships to manage. Think of your suppliers, your contractors, your customers, and all of the relationships you rely on. These are deeply important relationships to your organization’s success.
Esteem Needs
Personal
Maslow cites this as “prestige and feeling accomplished.” I think we can all identify with both the feeling and the outcomes of esteem. I feel accomplished when I get a good portion of my to-do list done, I feel even better if I know those items move the needle in my day-to-day. Some of the outcomes of accomplishment are recognition. This could be as basic as a moment of gratitude or as invested as industry awards.
Esteem is something you can both give and receive. How do you appreciate the people in your life?
Organizational
Very much like an individual, organizations rely on “prestige and feeling accomplished.” Again, this can be as basic as consistently delivering on business basics:
- Lunch served
- Report finished
- Contract completed
- Quarterly goals accomplished
I tend to think of this as more of a mission/vision opportunity. Is your organization on the path? Are you setting out what you intend to accomplish with your customers? Are you delivering on a level that you are recognized? Again, everything from gratitude to industry recognition.
This is a big spectrum in the hierarchy and there is a lot to accomplish here:)
Self-actualization Needs
Personal
The term self-actualized is used a lot of different ways. Personally, I see this as the spectrum between contentment and enlightenment. I also view this as more of an environment than an outcome. That having the time, space, resources, and combination of habits in place to allow me to pursue self-actualization is the win. When I have done the work to create this space I am not always happy and I am certainly not “enlightened” but I have the time, resources, and conditions to explore what it might mean to me.
Organizational
I view self-actualization similarly for an organization. Does an organization have the time, space, resources, and combination of habits in place to allow me to pursue self-actualization? I’m not sure a whole organization can pursue this… or maybe I haven’t recognized it. More critically, organizations need to proactively preserve this space. This requires continual investment in processes, leadership, research and development, and growth (acknowledging that growth is a tricky word).
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Applied
I circle back to this framework frequently. It is especially valuable when you something isn’t working as well as you think it should be. Beyond the intellectual processes of efficiency and outcomes, it is important to remember how human every system you interact with is. Even if Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is imperfect, it can provide context for what might be missing.