Lead people
Three needs theory
Also called McClelland's needs theory, Achievement, affiliation and power
Each person places themselves between achievement, affiliation and power, so the team sees what drives each of them and where they might clash.
- Time30 to 45 minutes
- People3 to 10 people
- Steps4
What it's for
David McClelland argued that most people are driven by a mix of three needs, learned through life rather than born with: achievement (doing something well, and better than before), affiliation (belonging and being liked) and power (influencing people and making an impact). Most people lean towards one.
On a team, the mix explains a lot. People driven by achievement want stretching goals and quick feedback; people driven by affiliation want harmony and may avoid conflict; people driven by power want influence. Place yourself, never each other.
How to run it
Read the three5 min
Go through each need and what it looks like at work.
Place yourself5 min
Each person puts a note with their name in the triangle, closest to the need that drives them most.
Share15 min
Each person says what their position means for how they like to work and be managed.
Spot the tensions10 min
Where might two people's needs clash, and how will you handle it?
Tips
- No position is better than another. A team needs all three.
- Two people driven by power on the same decision is a classic source of friction. Name it early.
Where it comes from
Developed by psychologist David McClelland and set out in The Achieving Society (1961).
Pairs well with
Moving motivators
Each person ranks ten motivators by how much they matter, then moves each up or down to show how their work feeds or drains it.
Autonomy, mastery and purpose
Look at a team's work through three needs that keep people engaged: a say in how they work, getting better at something, and knowing why.
Big Five working styles
Each person places themselves on five personality traits to share how they like to work, and the team agrees how to work across differences.