Motivation needs theory in lean

David C. McClelland (麦克兰德), American David Clarence McClelland (1917-98) achieved his doctorate in psychology at Yale in 1941 and became professor at Wesleyan University. He then taught and lectured, including a spell at Harvard from 1956, where with colleagues for twenty years he studied particularly motivation and the achievement need. He began his McBer consultancy in 1963, helping industry assess and train staff, and later taught at Boston University, from 1987 until his death. McClelland is chiefly known for his work on achievement motivation, but his research interests extended to personality and consciousness.

David McClelland pioneered workplace motivational thinking, developing achievement-based motivational theory and models, and promoted improvements in employee assessment methods, advocating competency-based assessments and tests, arguing them to be better than traditional IQ and personality-based tests. His ideas have since been widely adopted in many organisations, and relate closely to the theory of Frederick Herzberg.

David McClelland is most noted for describing three types of motivational need, which he identified in his 1988 book, Human Motivation. He said that most people possess and exhibit a combination of these characteristics, bias to a particular motivational need, and this motivational or needs 'mix' consequently affects their behaviour and working/managing style.
David C McClelland's motivational needs theory,

Achievement motivation (n-ach)

Authority/power motivation (n-pow)

Affiliation motivation (n-affil)

David McClelland's needs-based motivational model These needs are found to varying degrees in all workers and managers, and this mix of motivational needs characterises a person's or manager's style and behaviour, both in terms of being motivated, and in the management and motivation others.

The need for achievement (n-ach) The n-ach person is 'achievement motivated' and therefore seeks achievement, attainment of realistic but challenging goals, and advancement in the job. There is a strong need for feedback as to achievement and progress, and a need for a sense of accomplishment. McClelland contrasted achievement-motivated people with gamblers, and dispelled a common pre-conception that n-ach 'achievement-motivated' people are big risk takers. On the contrary - typically, achievement-motivated individuals set goals which they can influence with their effort and ability, and as such the goal is considered to be achievable. This determined results-driven approach is almost invariably present in the character make-up of all successful business people and entrepreneurs. For the lean leaders with strong 'achievement motivation', they make the best leaders, but there can be a tendency to demand too much of their staff in the belief that they are all similarly and highly achievement-focused and results driven, which of course most people are not. On the other hand, they would like to use imperatively or compulsorily to lead the projects. Sometimes, they would even jump to the solution during the kaizen without any brain-storming discussion. Meditating myself, at the beginning stage of my leading of lean transformation, I made the same mistake as well.

The need for authority and power (n-pow) The n-pow person is 'authority motivated'. This driver produces a need to be influential, effective and to make an impact. There is a strong need to lead and for their ideas to prevail. There is also motivation and need towards increasing personal status and prestige. A strong n-pow 'authority-motivation' will produce a determined work ethic and commitment to the organisation, and while n-pow people are attracted to the leadership role, they may not possess the required flexibility and people-centred skills. Power motivation divided by two concept, individualistic power motivation and social power motivation. Because of the lean leader in individualistic power motivation tends to control the members in the team, the aggressive and trust in kaizen team was always be destroyed. Empowering members by the lean leaders with social power motivation can encourage and draw out the interesting of improvment.

The need for affiliation (n-affil) The n-affil person is 'affiliation motivated', and has a need for friendly relationships and is motivated towards interaction with other people. The affiliation driver produces motivation and need to be liked and held in popular regard. These people are team players. Mcclelland suggested that a strong n-affil 'affiliation-motivation' undermines a manager's objectivity, because of their need to be liked, and that this affects a manager's decision-making capability. At the same way, leading the lean transformation, we are no way to escape to challenge or be challenged. High affiliation leader would frustrate by this needs which can not be satisfied. Furthermore, because of they want to be liked by members, they cower to give their reasonable requests and challenge the team. Too high of this needs will cause the halt or slow down of lean transformation.

Not only talking about the lean leaders, basically, human being is full of these needs. The most important factor of success in lean transformation is well balancing the needs of motivation. Nobody can tell you what is the correct mix of needs, and you must build up a right mix according to the situation in different period of lean journey.