Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
In the 1940s, Abraham Maslow proposed a theory about motivation that, for the first time, linked human biological needs and human psychology. According to Maslow, humans strive to meet their needs in a predictable order or hierarchy, as shown in figure 3. People’s physical and safety needs must be met before they can focus on their higher-order needs. Next, people need their social and self-esteem needs met. They need to feel loved and accepted as part of a group. Then, they can focus on achievement and gaining the respect of those around them. Only after all those needs are fulfilled can they focus on self-actualization, or achieving their highest potential, through professional growth, education, or other enrichment.
To create a positive relationship and allow participants to focus on learning, it is important to address their basic physiological needs, for example:
- What is the temperature of the room?
- Are they hungry?
- Are the seats uncomfortable?
- Do they need a bathroom break?
Providing “housekeeping” information at the beginning of the training session, including directions to the restrooms, food and drink options and policies, class hours and breaks, and emergency procedures helps to reduce participants’ anxiety. You also need to consider their safety needs, for example:
- Are they intimidated by another participant?
- Are they worried about returning to their car or to public transportation?
- Is their job at risk if they do not perform well in the course?
Offer to meet with participants privately so they can share their concerns and so you can come up with ways to address them.
It is important to recognize and address participants’ social needs, for example:
- Are they among strangers?
- Are they seated with their supervisors or managers?
- Are they separated from others from their organization?
Icebreakers, team building activities, and temporarily mixing up groups and partners can provide opportunities for participants to work collaboratively with different people and become more comfortable with each other.
Participants’ self-esteem needs must be met as well, for example:
- Do they think they are in the right course for their needs?
- Are they different from other participants in terms of experience, age, culture, or gender?
- Is someone dominating the conversations?
Collaborating with the participants in class to set and enforce ground rules will set clear expectations for behavior. By partnering more experienced participants with novices, the experts are given a role to play in the classroom while providing support that less experienced learners need.