McClelland’s Achievement Motivation Theory

 

McClelland’s Achievement Motivation Theory

   “Achievement Motivation Theory” attempts to explain and predict behavior and performance based on a person’s need for achievement, power and affiliation” (Lussier & Achua, 2007, p. 42). This is also referred to as the Acquired Needs Theory or the Learned Needs Theory (Daft, 2008). Achievement motivation has been defined as the extent to which individuals differ in their need to strive to attain rewards, such as physical satisfaction, praise from others and feelings of personal mastery (McClelland, 1985). This means the Achievement Motivation Theory explores the idea that there are three major needs that working employees will acquire over their lifetime as a result of the experiences in their career or in their own personal lives (Schermerhorn, 2003).

   McClelland’s work was primarily concerned with human motivation, but he also studied personalities in a broader sense (Harvard University Library, 2016). Over the course of McClelland career, he developed several tools to measure and better understand human characteristics. McClelland’s theory has a significant overlap with other foundational theories of motivation. Maslow’s self-actualization and Herzberg’s thoughts on high-achievers and low achievers can both be seen in McClelland’s achievement model (Pardee, 1990).

Figure 1.4: McClelland’s Need Theory

(McClelland & Burnham, 2008) 

1.    Need for Achievement – This is defined as success in competition with some standard of excellence. This presupposes that, the goal of some individual is to be successful in terms of competition with some standard of excellence. The individual may fail to achieve this goal, but the concern over competition with a standard of excellence still enables one to identify the goal sought as an achievement goal (McClelland, Atkinson, Clark, and Lowell, 1958). “The need for achievement is the unconscious concern for excellence in accomplishments through individual efforts” (Lussier and Achua, 2007). Need for Achievement comprises four main areas (Daft, 2008).

·         The desire to accomplish something difficult.

·         Attain a high standard of success.

·         Master complex tasks.

·         Surpass others.

   Characteristically, individuals who exhibit the need for achievement seek to accomplish realistic but challenging goals. Such people will act in ways that will help them to outperform others, meet or surpass some standard of excellence, or do something unique (Schmidt & Frieze, 2007).

2.    Need for Power – McClelland, (1961) defined the need for power as a “concern with the control of the means of influencing a person” (p. 167). Lussier and Achua, (2007) defined this as “the unconscious concern for influencing others and seeking positions of authority” (p. 42). For Daft, (2008), the need for power is the desire to influence or control others, being responsible to others, and having authority over others. Naturally, individuals who exhibit the need for power have a desire to be influential and want to make an impact. McClelland, (1961) maintained that a person’s need for power can be one of two types.

·         Personal - Those who need personal power want to direct others.

·         Institutional - Persons who need institutional power (also known as social power) want to organize the efforts of others to further the goals of an institution.

   Managers with a high need for institutional power tend to be more effective than those with a high need for personal power. Basically, workers with high need for power are inclined towards influence and control. They like to be at the center and are good orators. They are demanding in nature, forceful in manners and ambitious in life. They can be motivated to perform if they are given key positions or power positions (McClelland, 1965).

3.  Need for Affiliation - McClelland (1961) stated that the need for Affiliation is establishing, maintaining, or restoring a positive affective relationship with another person and this relationship is most adequately described by the word friendship” (p. 160). Therefore, “the need for affiliation is the unconscious concern for developing, maintaining, and restoring close personal relationships” (Lussier & Achua, 2007).

   Daft, (2008) defined the need for affiliation as “the desire to form close personal relationships, avoid conflict, and establish warm friendships” (p. 233). Individuals who exhibit the need for affiliation are seeking interactions with other people and are social in nature. They affiliate themselves with individuals and groups. They are driven by love and faith. They like to build friendly environments among themselves. Finally, social recognition and affiliation with others provide them motivation (Okorley, 2010).

   

Example - McClelland & Burnham (2008) recount three specific success stories thanks to their workshops. These three cases represent unique outcomes that can happen after identifying a poorly performing manager’s motivation. One subject who put too much weight on affiliation dramatically improved his department’s effectiveness by switching to a power-based mindset. Another individual was too focused with achievement to be an effective manager, so he decided to switch roles within the company and become a highly successful salesman. The last one had the right combination of traits but had an authoritarian style. After realizing his counterproductive attitude, he easily fixed the problem and soon became a Vice President of the company.

   In the Insurance field I’m working an achievement motivated person like Insurance advisors may need constant challenges and an affiliation motivated person like underwriting officers may need regular appraisal and feedback, and a power motivated person like Managers may need a clear path for advancement.

 

References

Daft, R. L. (2008). The leadership experience (4th Ed.). Mason, OH: South Western, Cengage Learning.

Harvard University Library. (2016). McClelland, David C. (David Clarence) Papers of David McClelland, 1900-1998: an inventory.

Lussier, R. N., & Achua, C. F. (2007). Leadership: Theory application, skills and development (3rd ed.). Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western.

McClelland, D. C. (1961). The achieving society. New York: The Free Press.

McClelland, D. C., Atkinson, J. W., Clark, R. A., & Lowell, E. L. (1953). A scoring manual for the achievement motive. In J. W. Atkinson (Ed.), Motives in fantasy, action, and society (pp. 179-204). New Jersey: Van Nostrand Company, Inc.

Okorley, E. A. (2010). Factors affecting the motivation of bank staff in Cape Coast metropolis. Unpublished master`s thesis, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast.

Pardee, R. L. (1990). Motivation Theories of Maslow, Herzberg, McGregor & McClelland. A Literature Review of Selected Theories Dealing with Job Satisfaction and Motivation.

Schermerhorn, J. (2003). Organizational behaviour (9th ed.). London: John Willey & Sons, Inc.

Schmidt, K. S., & Freize, J. T. (2007). Study of achievement motivation in relation to academic achievement success of students. International Journal of Educational Planning and Administration, 2(1), 419-435.