October 31, 2015
Surendra Jagwan
McClelland
says that, regardless of our gender, culture, or age, we all have three
motivating drivers, and one of these will be our dominant motivating driver.
This dominant motivator is largely dependent on our culture and life
experiences.
These
characteristics are as follows:
|
Dominant
Motivator
|
Characteristics
of This Person
|
|
Achievement
|
·
Has a strong need to set and
accomplish challenging goals.
·
Takes calculated risks to
accomplish their goals.
·
Likes to receive regular
feedback on their progress and achievements.
·
Often likes to work alone.
|
|
Affiliation
|
·
Wants to belong to the group.
·
Wants to be liked, and will
often go along with whatever the rest of the group wants to do.
·
Favors collaboration over
competition.
·
Doesn't like high risk or
uncertainty.
|
|
Power
|
·
Wants to control and influence
others.
·
Likes to win arguments.
·
Enjoys competition and
winning.
·
Enjoys status and recognition.
|
Note:
Those with a strong power
motivator are often divided into two groups: personal and institutional. People
with a personal power drive want to control others, while people with an
institutional power drive like to organize the efforts of a team to further the
company's goals. As you can probably imagine, those with an institutional power
need are usually more desirable as team members!
Examples of Using the Theory
Let's take a closer look at how to manage team members who are
driven by each of McClelland's three motivators:
Achievement
People motivated by achievement need challenging, but not
impossible, projects. They thrive on overcoming difficult problems or situations,
so make sure you keep them engaged this way. People motivated by achievement
work very effectively either alone or with other high achievers.
When providing feedback, give achievers a fair and balanced
appraisal. They want to know what they're doing right – and wrong – so that
they can improve.
Affiliation
People motivated by affiliation work best in a group
environment, so try to integrate them with a team (versus working alone)
whenever possible. They also don't like uncertainty and risk. Therefore, when
assigning projects or tasks, save the risky ones for other people.
When providing feedback to these people, be personal. It's still
important to give balanced feedback, but if you start your appraisal by
emphasizing their good working relationship and your trust in them, they'll
likely be more open to what you say. Remember that these people often don't
want to stand out, so it might be best to praise them in private rather than in
front of others.
Power
Those with a high need for power
work best when they're in charge. Because they enjoy competition, they do well
with goal-oriented projects or tasks. They may also be very effective in negotiations or in situations in which another party must be convinced of an
idea or goal.
