Book teaches five things every leader must know

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Derek Cantre
  • 6th Air Refueing Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Airmen have needs. Whether you are in charge of loading an aircraft, expediting maintainers on the flight line, leading a detail of defenders or supervising med-techs in the hospital, in order to be an effective leader, you must understand what motivates humans.

Abraham Maslow wrote a book in 1954 called "Motivation and Personality". In this book he deduced that human beings are not motivated by external influences but instead by their own personal needs. Although the book appears dated, the information is absolutely relevant today. Take a moment to reflect to a time, you may have been experiencing a problem with money or working with difficult people. Where was your focus?

There are five motivating needs every Airman desires and understanding them can be your key to the path of effective leadership.

The first is our most basic needs is food and shelter. If your Airmen are experiencing trouble with paying the rent or buying groceries, you need to help or they will focus on their problem and the mission will suffer.

Next is safety and security. If your Airmen do not work in a safe environment or feel secure with the people they work with, you need to fix it or they will focus on the problem and the mission will suffer. Do all your Airmen feel and act as though they are part of the team and headed toward a common goal? Are your eyes open for the Airman being picked on or eating alone?

Next is belonging. We must all feel like we belong or we lose confidence in what we are fighting for. This feeling of isolation can lead Airmen to commit unthinkable acts and you need to get involved or they will focus on their loneliness and the mission will suffer.

Step four is self-esteem. Everyone needs to feel a sense of worth. Explain the mission to your Airmen, show them how they fit into the big-picture and reward good performance. If you fail to do this, Airmen will doubt themselves, their contributions and they will focus on the problem and the mission will suffer.

Finally, self-actualization, a point when an airman's potential is realized. While Maslow focuses on a deeper more heightened awareness of self; consider assisting your Airmen in having more immediate moments of self-actualization. Encourage them to complete their Career Development Courses on-time, pursue a Community College of the Air Force degree or accomplish all Professional Military Education. If you do this your people will grow, their careers will blossom and your expectations will be exceeded. But, first you have to get to know your Airmen, don't be afraid to ask questions and offer your assistance.

Food and shelter; safety and security; belonging; self-esteem and self-actualization these are the needs of our Airmen. It has worked for me as a leader and will work for you. Meet your Airmen's needs, they will meet your needs, the mission's needs and together we will meet the Air Force's need to fly, fight and win.