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Motivation Theory
McClelland’s Theory of Needs
David McClelland’s research indicates that individuals are motivated
based on three needs:
• Need for achievement (NAch): The drive to excel, to achieve in relation to a set of standards, to strive to succeed.
• Need for power (NPower): The need to make others behave in a way that they would not have behaved otherwise.
• Need for affiliation (NAff): The desire for friendly and close interpersonal relationships.
Unlike Maslow, McClelland did not differentiate between any certain
transition among the needs. He indicates that some people have higher levels of
one need than others.
People who have high achievement needs are different from others in the
following ways:
1. They seek personal responsibility for finding solutions to problems. This means they take the initiative to find results, sometimes even when it isn’t their problem!
2. They need rapid feedback on their performance. They are usually very frustrated by not receiving feedback, and the quicker the better!
3. They are not gamblers, but instead set appropriately challenging goals. High achievers like to control their own success; they don’t like to “win the lottery” or anything by chance!
4. They want to stretch themselves, so they set goals that are challenging but ones that they perceive they have at least a 50% chance of attaining.
People who have a high need for power are not power-mongers! Instead,
they understand the use of power and that it enables people to get things done
and make a difference in ...