Motivation and
Personality
Cooperation of Motivation and Personality
Motivation and personality work together to define personality
traits in McClelland’s Three Needs Theory. This theory states
that all individuals are motivated by certain needs, but those
needs, and the level of motivation, varies. For example, one
individual may be more motivated by recognition, while another
individual may be more motivated by the satisfaction of getting
a job done. It all comes down to motivation and personality
traits. McClellan’s Three Needs Theory defines three
personality traits and how they relate to motivation.
nACH – Need for Achievement
Individuals with this personality trait have a need to achieve.
They want to follow the rules necessary in order to succeed.
These individuals do not like to gamble, and do not like very
easy tasks or very difficult tasks. They see the road that
needs to be taken to success, and they follow it. If there is a
high possibility of losing, this personality type will choose
to sit out rather than lose. Motivation and personality work
well together for this individual when he/she is able to shine
as an individual, such as in a salesperson position. This
individual would not enjoy working on a team.
nPOW – Need for Power
This personality type wants to demonstrate the ability to make
others behave in an atypical way. For example, this individual
wants to see the cool, level-headed guy get frustrated and
hot-headed over a competition. This individual wants to be the
leader and likes the feeling of power more than the feeling of
accomplishment. This individual wants to feel in control of all
situations. Motivation and personality work well together for
this individual when in a leadership position. However, be
careful that the individual does not become too
overpowering.
nAFF – Need for Affiliation
The individual with this personality trait craves close
relationships. This individual values friendships and wants to
cooperate rather than compete. An activity that connects
individuals in a group is more desirable to this individual
than an activity where an individual wins. Motivation and
personality work well together when this individual is a part
of a team environment. However, supervision is required to keep
these individuals driven.
A Mixture of Personality
An individual’s motivation and personality rarely work together
in such a way that the individual falls into just one of the
above categories. Usually a mixture of these personality traits
form an individual’s personality to create a more well-rounded
individual.
McClelland’s Three Needs Theory in Business
McClelland’s Three Needs Theory is commonly used in the
business world as a way to determine how an individual’s
motivation and personality will work together in the office.
The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) is often given to
employees to determine how motivation and personality work
together to form personality traits and therefore test how an
individual may perform in different office situations. For
example, an employee with a strong aACH personality would
theoretically make a good leader or salesperson. An employee
with a strong nAFF personality would make a good member of a
team.
A test that shows strongly in all three categories may indicate
a well-rounded employee. Employers sometimes give this test to
applicants as a way to get to know the candidate’s personality
before hiring. This enables the employer to find the best
personality for the job. Employers may have current employees
take this test to determine how to best use the employee. If an
employee’s performance is slipping, this test may help the
employer better understand the employee’s motivation and
personality to redirect the employee’s efforts. Employers must
understand, however, that this test is meant as a guide, and
may not truly tell you everything you need to know about the
employee. Written tests can only indicate so much about human
motivation and
personality.
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