Beyond the Physical

Author : Kenneth Rice
Changing AssumptionsWhy are people compelled to do things for us and our organizations? There is no single factor that encourages all followers all the time. Leaders normally focus on physiological needs (i.e. pay, benefits, etc) of their followers and disregard the other hierarchal needs such as Safety, Social, Esteem, and Self actualization. Sims (2002) described two dangerous myths about motivation: "(1) that it can be gained from 'motivational' speakers and (2) that it can be triggered simply with economic rewards." (p. 55). The entire organization suffers when leadership thinks their followers are motivated by one thing. Leaders must understand followers are more than just physical beings.Once leaders change their assumptions regarding followers as physical beings they will also have to alter their assumptions regarding the stimulus behind employee's behavior. Wren (2005) suggested the post-Hawthorne era led to changing notions about human motivation, the benefits derived from the division of labor, and employee participation in decision making. (p. 329). Just as Paul reminds us our "labor in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:58), leaders must learn to motivate and inspire their employees towards a common goal.Motivation & InspirationThere is a hierarchy of needs theory in psychology that Abraham Maslow proposed in his 1943 paper 'A Theory of Human Motivation' which, shows employees have five levels of needs: physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self- actualizing. He maintained "…the appearance of one need usually rest on the prior satisfaction of another." (Maslow, 1943, p. 370). The premise is that the higher needs in the hierarchy only come into focus once the lower needs are satisfied. In order to satisfy all of these needs leaders must do more than motivate followers, they must strive to inspire them as well.Motivation is the psychological feature that arouses someone to take action toward a desired goal. Stimulation of the mind (spiritually and emotionally) to a high level of feeling or activity can only be accomplished through inspiration. Leaders can inspire followers by relying not on their own understanding but rather on something greater than themselves. As Paul declared "… we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual." (I Corinthians 2:13).Humans Are More than Resources At one time, employees were considered just another input into the production of goods and services. In 1911 Frederick Taylor sparked a new era in management with 'The Principles of Scientific Management.' He argued that the work place was usually badly organised, with many workers using their own methods of work to complete a task. Taylor called for managers to make sure that each worker used the same efficient method in order to complete the task efficiently and to pay harder workers better, which would encourage them to work harder. (Wren, 1995, p. 121 – 148).While the scientific management principles have a certain logic, most applications of it failed to account for two inherent difficulties: It ignores individual differences because the most efficient way of working for one person may be inefficient for another; It ignores the fact that the economic interests of workers and management are rarely identical, so that both the measurement processes and the retraining required by Taylor's methods would frequently be resented and sometimes sabotaged by the workforce. Ironically, both difficulties were recognized by Taylor (Wren, 1995, p. 148 – 150), but are generally not fully addressed by managers who only see the potential improvements to efficiency.In reaction to the efficiency focus of scientific management, the human relations movement was initiated by psychologists and employment experts in the the 1920s. The movement viewed workers in terms of their psychology and fit with companies, rather than interchangeable parts. This study found that employees are not motivated solely by money. Their needs and motivation should be the primary focus of managers (Wren, 1995, p. 279 - 300). This shift in how leaders viewed followers may not have been readily noticable due to the manner in which many organizations shifted. Wren (2005) briefly discussed "power equalization" which is the notion of playing down organizational heirarchy in order to increase upward communication and participation. (p. 333).This upward communication is a form of Knowledge management (KM). KM transforms intellect into intellectual capital, which is the intangible asset of a company which contributes to its value. "KM involves the management of people as creators of knowledge and the management of information as the raw material of processes related to knowledge creation and production." (Huotari & Iivonen, 2004, p. 7). Rather than view followers as economic beings, many organizations viewed employees as a resource of knowledge (or intellectual) capital.The view of humans as resources continues to have a permanent place within many organizations. This places emphasis on how leadership, cohesion, and loyalty play important roles in organizational success, and on the value of participatory management. Shell (2002) argued that the lower level needs are largely satisfied in organizational endeavors, and the higher level needs, such as self-esteem and self-actualization should be of major concern to practicing managers. (p. 112 – 114).Inspiring the Physical Being At the bottom of the hierarchy is the Physiological Being. The needs of the Physiological Being, which enables homeostasis, take first precedence. These consist mainly of the need to breathe, to drink, to eat, to rest, to regulate body temperature. (Maslow, 1943, p. 372). When some of the needs are unmet, a human's physiological needs take the highest priority. As a result of the deficiency of physiological needs, an individual will de-prioritize all other needs. For example, breathing is normally not considered a high priority until a person is unable to breathe, then all other priorities are disregarded.Maddock (1998) contends "Employees assume that most physical survival needs will be met. What they are really interested in is the other motivational categories that have been discussed, and how they will be met or satisfied." (p. 113). From the organizational perspective, many of the physical needs are met with pay and benefits. Employees want, among other things, equality, a safe and comfortable working environment, status, time off, and benefits. When the crowd asked Jesus why he removed himself his answer to them was "Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled." (John 6:24). Before followers are able to satisfy their psychological needs, they must first satisfy their most basic needs.Inspiring the Safe/Secure BeingGod promised the Israelites that He would give them rest from their enemies so that they could "dwell in safety." (Deuteronomy 12:10). After the physiological Being the needs for the Safe/Secure Being emerges. Safety and security needs include security: of employment, from violence, of health, in daily routines, as well as moral security. Maslow (1943) observed a properly functioning society tends to provide a degree of security to its members. (p. 376 –379). Sometimes the desire for safety outweighs the requirement to satisfy physiological needs completely. "Psychological conditions of the work setting, such as privacy and control over the work environment, and work dangers are both connected to work stress and job satisfaction." (Riggio, 2000, p.469).In addition to safety, leaders must also consider job security. "The extent to which people worry about losing their jobs depends not only on their perception of the likelihood of job loss but also on their anxieties about the consequences of such an event." (Burchell, 2001, p. 71). For example, mid-career employees with small children and large mortgages feel less secure than their older colleagues because they fear the consequences of unemployment and the impact it would have on their lives.Inspiring the Social Being"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5). Jesus sacrificed so that we would never have to be alone, so we would always feel loved. After the needs of the Physiological and Safety Beings are fulfilled, the third layer of needs to satisfy is for the Social Being. This involves emotionally-based relationships in general, such as friendship, sexual intimacy, and/or having a family. (Maslow, 1943, p. 380 – 381). Humans want to be accepted and to belong, whether to clubs, work groups, religious groups, family, gangs, etc. They need to feel loved (sexually and non-sexually) by others, and to be accepted by them. People also have a constant desire to feel needed. In the absence of these elements, people become increasingly susceptible to loneliness, social anxiety and depression.Inspiring the Esteemed BeingMaslow (1943) argued humans have a need to be respected, to self-respect and to respect others. People want to engage themselves in order to gain recognition and have an activity that gives the person a sense of contribution and self-value, be it in a profession or hobby. (p. 381 – 382). Imbalances at this level can result in a low self-esteem and inferiority complexes, or, on the other hand, can give an inflated sense of self.Working with dignity is an essential building block for a life well lived. Hodson (2001) asserted "Ensuring the dignity of employees is equally important for organizations as they attempt to make effective use of their human and social resources." (p.7). The attainment of dignity at work is one of the most important challenges people face in their lives. "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold." (Proverbs 22:1). To know that you are favoured is worth more than material incentives.Inspiring the Self-actualized Being "Managers must attempt to identify individual employee needs and foster satisfaction. If they do so, employees will progress toward self-actualization, permitting the organization to be all that it can be." (Sims, 2002, p. 58). The Self-actualizationed Being has the instinctual need to make the most of their unique abilities. Maslow (1943) described Self Actualization as "…the individual doing what he is fitted for." (p. 382). He argued that self-actualizing people: embrace the facts and realities of the world rather than denying or avoiding them; and are spontaneous; are creative. "A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately happy." (Maslow, 1943, p. 382).In the Old Testament, when the Moses asked God for a self-description, the only answer he received was "I AM that I AM." The simplicity of this phrase emphasized His power. It expressed His character as the dependable and faithful God who desires the trust of His people.Inspiring the Spiritual BeingThe connection between leadership and spirituality is not always automatic and must be constantly nurtured. Who we are is more important than what we know. What we do with our knowledge determines who we are. Fairholm (1997) suggested that leadership "…is a matter of touching people's souls, not controlling their actions. Leadership is connecting with other people at the feeling level." (p. 7). God's chastening of His people by bringing them through the wilderness taught them the fundamental truth "man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." (Deuteronomy 8:3). God humbled them and fed their hunger with manna. Reminding them that bread sustains life but does not guarantee life, which is God's gift to those who trust in and live by His word.Maddock (1998) provided a number of reasons the spiritual outlook of employees affect their day-to-day survival. First, references to spirituality have always been discovered in the history of man. Secondly, spirituality is something which people are passionate about. And third, Maddock gave strong support to the notion that spirituality is a "vibrant motive in the structure of human motivation." (p. 97 – 98).Inspiring the Emotional BeingWilliams (2002) argued "The question of appropriate emotion is essential to effective being in the workplace, in society, and in our own lives." (p. 3). Our passions guide our thinking, our values, our actions, and our survival. Our emotions spark our creativity as well as our compassion for others. Fineman (2000) revealed two insights about compassion and the organizations. First, people often act compassionately in the face of pain without knowing what is appropriate or how compassion should be conveyed. Secondly, organizations create an emotional ecology where care and human connection are enabled or disabled. (p. 25 – 26). The emotional impact of these interactions is vital to an understanding of employee work experience.Dr. Bruce Winton, author of Be a Leader for God's Sake, asserted "God calls leaders to love more than their employees. Employees and followers want leaders who are honest, open, and who keep the organization moving in a positive direction." (2002, p. 9). When signing my copy of his book, Dr. Winston wrote "2 Tim 3:16, Enjoy the Journey." Every time I read this short note I can't help but think that life is rollercoaster ride of ups and downs but not only do we enjoy the ride, but sometimes get back in line for a second trip.Moving Beyond the PhysicalLeaders must do more than just satisfy the basic needs of their employees. McGregor (2006) maintained "A Satisfied need is not a motivator of behavior." (p. 346). Leaders must identify and articulate organizational concepts that inspire followers but most importantly they summarize these concepts into an understandable idea. Such as Jesus' response to the Pharisees in Matthew 22:37 where Pharisees expected Jesus to misquote one of the many laws and scriptures when they asked "which law was the most important?" Jesus simply said to them, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." He distilled all of the teachings and writings into one simple idea…'Love God.'ReferencesBurchell, Brendan (Editor). (2001). Job Insecurity & Work Intensification. Florence, KY. Routledge.Fairholm, Gilbert W. (1997). Capturing the Heart of Leadership: Spirituality & Community in the New American Workplace. Westport, CT. Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated.Fineman, Stephen (Editor). (2000). Emotion in Organizations (2nd Ed.). London, GBR. Sage Publications Ltd.Frankl, V. (1984). Man's Search for Meaning, preface by Gordon W. Allport, New York: Simon & Schuster.Hodson, Randy. (2001). Dignity at Work. Port Chester, NY. Cambridge University Press.Huotari, M. L. and Iivonen, M. (2004). Trust in Knowledge Management and Systems in Organizations. Hershey, PA. Idea Group Publishing.Holy Bible (1997). King James Version. Study Bible. Zondervan Publishing, Grand Raids Michigan.Maddock, Richard C. (1998). Motivation, Emotions & Leadership: The Silent Side of Management. Westport, CT. Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated.Maslow, Abraham H. (1943) A Theory of Human Motivation. Psychological Review, Vol. 50, July 1943, 370-396. Retrieved Electronically January 18, 2006. http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Maslow/motivation.htmMcGregor, D. (2006). The Human Side of Enterprise. Annotated by Joel Cutcher-Gerchen Feld. New York, NY. McGraw-Hill Co.Riggio, Ronald E. (2000). Introduction to Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Third Ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ. Prentice HallShell, Richard L. (2002). Management of Professionals, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded. New York, NY. Marcel Dekker Inc.Sims, Ronald R. (2002). Managing Organizational Behavior. Westport, CT. Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated.Williams, Lloyd C. (2002). Creating the Congruent Workplace: Challenges for People and Their Organizations. Westport, CT. Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated.Winston, Bruce (2002). Be a Leader for God's Sake. Virginia Beach, VA. School of Leadership Studies, Regent University.Wren, D. A. (2005). The History of Management Thought. 5th Ed. Hoboken, NJ. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Lieutenant Ken Rice is an Active Duty Naval Officer assinged to the Warfare Requirements Directorate at Commander, Naval Surface Forces in Norfolk, VA. Lieutenant Rice is currently enrolled at Regent University working towards a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership.
Keyword : Leadership, spirituality, self-improvement