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McClelland's Human Motivation Theory

David Clarence McClelland was an American psychologist, Known as his work on motivation Need Theory. He published a number of works between the 1950s and the 1990s and developed new scoring systems for the Thematic Apperception Test and its descendants.

David McClelland’s motivation theory says that humans have a total of three main types’ emotional needs, which they acquire as a result of their life journeys. Given that this model focuses on needs, it is considered a content theory of motivation. 



   The needs the model considers are:

    • Achievement (getting things done)
    • Power (having influence over others)
    • Affiliation (having good relationships)

Figure : David McClelland, 1961, "The Achieving Society."



McClelland says that these needs are scalar and everyone has a blend of them, though usually one is dominant. The blend and strength of an individual’s needs shapes their behaviors and motivations in work, and in the wider world. The different needs bring different strengths, weaknesses and preferred ways of working and behavioral risks into the workplace.

Need for Achievement

This is the need for personal achievement and is intrinsically motivated by task completion. Achievement motivation is very closely related to success or individual enthusiasm in achieving a goal or success. David McClelland is famous for the theory of the need to achieve achievement which states that motivation varies, according to the strength of one's needs for achievement. McClelland's achievement motivation was said by McClelland as a power in human mentality to do an activity that is better, faster, more effective and more efficient than previous activities (Sobur, 2003). 

People who have high achievement needs are known as moderate risk takers since they need challenges to get the feeling of accomplishment. They do not attempt high-risk problems because of the high risk of failure.

Human resources of an organization that has high achievement motivation tend to prefer to struggle with activities that have moderate challenges. Human resources in organizations with this mindset are always motivated to be better and even better than others. Personal tasks with personal responsibility are often given by the organization in order to improve the personal abilities of individuals so that they can grow their potential. (Royle, M.T. and Hall, A.T.,(2012). People like these are usually useful in situations that demand creativity and innovation.

Need for Power

Power concerns the ability to influence others. Individuals with high power need are motivated to acquire a position through which they can influence and control others. The people who have a high need for power have a desire to influence and control situations and people. (Gorden,J. 2022)

People with a high need for power are perceived to have an impact on others and are quite overtly looking to build their reputations, position and authority. It has been established that people with a high need for power have a more active, assertive and controlling way in their interactions with others. Power motivation is more about having an impact and wielding persuasive power rather than being more autocratic and authoritative in achieving organizational goals. Jha, Sumi. (2010).

The people who have a high need for power have a desire to influence and control situations and people. 

Need for Affiliation

This is the need for connection with others and is accepted (liked by others). It seeks to be emotionally attached and to avoid the pain of rejection. 

Characteristics of power-need individuals also include a need for intimacy and the desire to console others during difficult times. 

Affiliative leaders are reluctant to monitor their followers’ performance, to give negative feedback, or to impose sanctions on them (McClelland, 1985). As they focus on personal relationships, they base their decisions on affection instead of corporate necessities and overly worry about being liked by their followers (McClelland and Boyatzis, 1982; Spangler and House, 1991). 

Those individuals who have a high sense of association do communicate effectively with others. They usually favor tasks that foster the development and the maintenance of a relationship.

Advantages of McClelland Theory

Ø  Employees are given tasks according to their Needs.

- Employees are given work according to their needs there is no scope for any excuse because if the company is giving work profile to employees according to their interest than they cannot put the blame of failure on the company as they were given work of their choice

Ø  Satisfied Employees.

- Employees are given work according to their needs there is no scope for any excuse because if the organization is giving work profile to employees according to their interest than they cannot put the blame of failure on the organization as they were given work of their choice.

Disadvantages of McClelland Theory

Ø  Basic Needs does not take into account

 

-  This theory focuses on needs for achievement, power, and affiliation but ignore basic needs like food, shelter and safety which is primary needs and needs to be satisfied first before thinking about satisfying other needs.


Ø  One Gets Stereotype.

-    One employee cannot move to other departments of the company not because he or she is not qualified rather due to being stereotyped.                                                                                

Ø  Difficult to find Position Matching the Needs.

-  Once a company has identified people needs but it may be possible that positions     matching the needs of the employees in the company are more or less resulting in a problem for the top management of the company.

 

List of References

Ø Gordon,J. (2022) McClelland's Acquired Needs Theory- Explained https://thebusinessprofessor.com/en_US/management-leadership-organizational-behavior/acquired-need-theory-definition 

Ø  Jha, Sumi. (2010). Need for Growth, Achievement, Power and Affiliation Determinants of Psychological Empowerment. Global Business Review. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258137837_Need_for_Growth_Achievement_Power_and_Affiliation_Determinants_of_Psychological_Empowerment

Ø  LetsLearnFinance, (2021) Advantages and Disadvantages of McClelland Theory. https://www.letslearnfinance.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-mcclelland-theory.html

 

Ø  Royle, M.T. and Hall, A.T.,(2012). The relationship between McClelland’s theory of needs, feeling individually accountable, and informal accountability for others. International Journal of Management and Marketing Research, 5(1), pp.1-4

Ø  Steinmann, B., Ötting, S. K., & Maier, G. W. (2016). Need for Affiliation as a Motivational Add-On for Leadership Behaviors and Managerial Success. Frontiers in psychology, 7, 1972. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01972

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