Two Leadership Theories-Compare/Contrast

Leaders within any organization will have the daunting task of discovering what motivates their team members and then applying these techniques to each employee.  This is the task of developing a leadership theory perspective based on the multidude of current theories reviewed in the literature.  Some managers may select a theory based on the overall makeup of each employee and some will apply one theory to all team members.

For the purpose of this blog, two leadership theories will be explored in four sections with each section representing a different topic of discussion.  All four sections will be submitted to Dr. Shirley Johnson for MGT5010.

The two theories to be examined in this first section are Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory and Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory is predicated on five basic human needs that motivate human behavior including physiological, safety, belonging, esteem, and self-actualization (Sadri & Bowen, 2011).  Maslow believed that these needs are hierarchical in nature and one cannot advance through the levels unless the current need is met.  For example, if a hungry person cannot meet the basic need for sustenance, then that person cannot advance to the need for safety.

In terms of motivating employees, Sadri and Bower (2011) reported that employees will feel motivated if there exists direction, intensity, and persistence within the organization.  Maslow's theory connects these three factors as each level of Maslow's hierarchy has a foundation in direction, intensity, and persistence.  Individuals will need to work at reaching a new level and be persistent in finding ways to become self-actualized.

Maslow’s theory can be applied to motivating employees in terms of what benefits to grant employees and to determine where an employee is on the hierarchy.  Since Maslow himself was considered a humanist, applying this theory to motivating employees, or humans, makes perfect sense (Saeednia, 2009).  For example, if an organization has an employee who cannot afford to feed their family, that individual will remain on the lowest level which is physiological and will not be able to progress forward from that level.  Organizations attempt to motivate employees at this basic level by offering regular meal times and scheduled break times.

Comparatively speaking, Maslow's theory can be compared to Frederick Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory.  Ikwukananne (2009) stated there are similarities between Herzberg and Maslow; however, they differ in that Herzberg argued that job satisfaction and dissatisfaction, are a result of various causes and job satisfaction depends on motivators.  Basically job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction are not opposites of each other and in essence employers should deal with each differently.  Kroth (2007) states there are other more current theories such as self-efficacy and goal setting theories that might work better in today’s modern organization.  They differ from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory as self-efficacy and goal setting are more cognitively based.  Employees would be motivated to perform tasks or complete objectives because they believe they can.  This differs considerably from Maslow’s theory which is more physiological in nature.