Chapter 8 - Searcher (Maslow and Motivation)

Blake,

Motivation is the key topic in this week's discussion. Motivation "is the drive and energy we put into accomplishing something we want to do. We cannot see or touch it, but it is ever present in our thought and action" (Merriam & Bierema, p. 147). Most see it as the 'reason' people the things they do. People go to work to earn money so they have the means to support their family with housing, transportation, food and basic necessities. Many, therefore, are motivated to work by necessity. The desperation to avoid hunger, abandonment, or negative societal judgement are all motivations to attain financial security, which is why people work. But, once these basic needs are met, why do people look for rewards, work harder than their coworkers or want move into leadership positions?

Your approach looks at motivation in two ways: intrinsic and extrinsic. The intrinsic form is derived from self-desire. Extrinsic motivation is motivation derived from the situation or from others. Building on what has been covered, it is important to think about this from an employer/leader's perspective. How can organizations or teachers use motivation to inspire their employees to perform at a desirable level? Abraham Maslow addressed the theory of motivation and what makes humans do what they do. This short video shows an overview of Maslow's hierarchy of needs pyramid and how organizations can use it to increase employee motivation.

This video breaks down Maslow's need pyramid into five categories: Physiological, Security, Belongingness, Esteem and Self-Actualization. As the video shows, people must have a lower-level need met before they are satisfied enough to pursue their next need. For employees to pursue greater achievements and goals at work, they must have their needs met first, according to Maslow.  The one critique of this overview is the 5-layer pyramid. Maslow initially created the 5-layer pyramid, however, the pyramid has since been expanded into an 8-layer pyramid, which I covered in a previous blog. As a reminder, the 8-layer pyramid goes: Physiological, Security, Belongingness, Esteem, Cognitive, Aesthetic, Self-Actualization and Transcendence. The image below gives a description of the expanded model from Maslow. 

Maslow's operates on the assumption that 'learners would not be motivated by things that already satisfy basic needs and requirements, but rather by the higher order needs" (Merriam & Bierema, p. 150). So motivating employees is different for those on different levels. As the video pointed out, employees need attention by management to determine what level they place at in the work environment. After determining they're level of satisfaction, employers and leadership begin meeting the employees higher-level needs to increase production and efficiency.

References

Merriam, Sharan B., and Laura L. Bierema. Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2014. Print.

MgmtJourney. "Improving Motivation witMgmtJourney. "Improving Motivation with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory." YouTube. YouTube, 10 Oct. 2014. Web. 28 Mar. 2016.h Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory." YouTube. YouTube, 10 Oct. 2014. Web. 28 Mar. 2016.