Four Basic Human Needs - Antonio 2011

We all have heard of different theories regarding to basic human needs. I have been learning about them and using them as part of my training when relating to motivation. After few years of experience, I have finally developed my own opinion in basic human needs, which are need of security, status, involvement and supreme.

Need of “Security” is the ultimate need of human being in my opinion. It is a need, which we keep pursuing. We will work through obstacles to achieve such need, even if it requires risking our life or freedom. Need of security includes food, shelter, clothing, safety and saving. Saving, is the define factor that makes each individual different within this very basic need of mankind. The amount of saving I have in order to provide me a sense of security varies with others. We all need to observe a certain amount of saving in order to feel assured about the future.

As I have mentioned earlier, people could risk their life or freedom to pursuit for the need of security. Therefore, often we witness people commit crime while suffer in financial drawbacks. Our ancestors demonstrate the desire to fulfill this need by hunting animals that can be stronger and more vital. In addition, they also practiced to save food for future, which put my earlier statement with proof.

Our 2^nd basic need is “Status”. We all looking forward to obtain a certain status, and be recognized by the society. Status is a need that incorporates closely with our need of security, because recognition from the society forms secure feeling. We work hard to get promotion or achievement in order to have a title to share amount communities. We often believe the higher the status the more secure the life is. That’s the reason why we observed the princes fight for crown and children fight for parents’ business ownership.

Through the status change, our need of security changes too. When we are young, we only wish to have a car to take us everywhere. When we become older, we start to dream for Porsche. This is all due to status change. The need of status is getting more critical nowadays, which results credit debtors. People try to fulfill their need of status through luxury goods. This often happens to youngster, because they only have limited chance to acquire a status. Therefore, they shift their focus to those goods that can represent a certain status amount friends.

I would summarize the above needs as tangible needs. Both needs serve almost the same purpose, which is a secure life. As mankind, our security often builds on material goods instead of inner peace. Our ancestors searched for cave and we look for houses, place where we can touch and feel secure.

The next two needs are consider intangible needs. They are more spiritual, and related to our inner feeling.

“Involvement”, we all seek to involve in the society. We all desire to be part of a group. We need a sense of belongingness. Therefore, we hang out with people that share the same interest. We desire to be heard and identified as individuals. As a result, we use Facebook, Twitter, and start a blog. This is all due to our need of involvement.

Involvement helps us to feel important and unique. We gain responsiveness through participating in activities and groups. We found our love one, because they recognize us differently compare to others. They love us more than others. They consistently listen to us, and try to agree with us at most of time. They encourage us continuously and never give up on us easily. Detect those failure marriages around us. Majority of them fail for the same reason, there is no significant love between the two parties. They fail to engage each other in their life. They fail to involve each other. However the best thing is, we will keep finding the right the one or get a pet, so we can fulfill the need of involvement easily at home.

Last, the need of “Supreme”. This is a need that helps us to be different, which is anticipated by all mankind. Many have put it in better words such as self-actualization or contribution. I would prefer to call it as the need of supreme. This need provides people a reason to do things that return only a good name. Charity is one of the ways to fulfill this need, especially for the world leaders. The act of performing charity furnishes us a sense of supreme amount others. We feel good for such act, and we share amount friends. One can prove me wrong by telling me stories about anonymous helping the poor, and my 1^st question would be “How do you know it?” We partake social responsibility, because we need to feel different and better. We know people will compliment us on such act. We do not need to hear those compliments in person, because we foresee it happens.

In fact, I name the last need as the need of supreme, for our world leaders. Countless world leaders have been consistently participating in charity work, while they also unfailingly purchase new luxury automobiles, or collect more properties. Imagine if our world leaders would truly desire to find a solution to solve the poor’s problem. Would there still be the problem? There are millions of people suffering in hunger in the world, and our leaders cannot do anything to solve this problem. They have been donating a lot of money, but the problem still exists. Better yet they still could afford another Lamborghini or jet. They still take 1^st class seat during business trip. These indulgence behaviors are total contradiction with their statements to help the poor. Hence, I have finally recognized and realized that the act of helping the poor serve only a purpose in them, to feel supreme and beyond others. This totally makes sense if we look back at our M-shape society again.

Anyway, I should stop diverse my writing.

The above four needs are those I found important to human, and considered as basic needs in my opinion. I am glade to present my view with you for those reading this blog. Thank you for helping me to fulfill both my need of involvement and supreme. I knew that I have not done any charity work here, through this blog. Yet, by sharing my thought and try to influence a group of people, it is consider a way of fulfill our need of supreme too. So, thank you.

Let's help each other....

For me, this picture draws out our current economical situation. We are living in a M-shape society, which the poverty gap will only increase further if we don't change. This is a problem for everyone, not just the poor or middle class, but everyone including the rich who is sitting at home while people are making money for him or her.

I totally agreed with those occupied Wall Street, demanding a fair share of wealth, because after all they did somehow contribute to the growth of their nation and deserve a piece of such success. However I oppose the emotion of hatred against the wealth. It takes a lot of courage to invest and start a business. It is never easy to be successful in this competitive world. Therefore these rich deserve to be rich as well, for being different. No one should encourage such emotional conflict between poor and wealth, because it will only bring chaos.

We need to find a right balance between the two.

I would strongly recommend the wealth to settle for compromise. Just like what we have learned from “Spider Man”, greater power comes with greater responsibilities. Money, status, and reputation represent power to mankind, therefore our fortune one should start taking their responsibility, to balance this society financially.

Mainstream organization in the world aim for higher profit each year, and such growth only impacts a very few individuals in the world, the investors. One needs to understand that success or growth does not just exist without anyone’s effort. Gandhi didn’t become one of the most influencing people in the world by his own. He succeeded, because many anonymous supported him. President Obama, the 1^st African American president of United States, did not win his election single-handed, but with thousand and thousand of people backing him up.

Without the majority of the labor force in the world, there won’t be any successful establishment at all. This is a true fact that everyone needs to recognize. Our rich need to wake up and start paying their employee fairly. They need to face the fact that inflation is happening to everyone. We need to help each other in order to survive. They need to stop buying new cars, jets, fancy suit, watches and bags, but to reward their invisible partners who spend hours to fulfill their dream of being success. Stop looking at the grass above the ground, and ignore the fact that there will be better return for your willingness to give.

I knew many rich would disagree with me, and prove me wrong by their consistent charity work.

Let me present my idea in another way. The amount of money contributed to the charity should be given to your employees, so we can have more middle classes in this society. More middle classes represents more people can perform charity. By doing so, you do not just provide the need of security to your followers through fairly paid salary, but also enlighten them the opportunity to achieve their highest spiritual need, the need of contribution.

Your act has a great impact in mankind by allowing more love floating around us. Your act will also allow more money floating in the market. The only sacrifice you made is your tax deductible through charity, which if you insist you can still do it by saving your money from not buying a new extra Porsche.

Please allow me to conclude. I do not against the rich. I do not represent the majority of poor. In fact, I am a middle class person. I represent no one, but myself. I just wish to share an idea that can bring us together again. We, human, have gone through so much difficulties through years to reach the current century. There are so many amazing things happened around us daily, but none of us can stop our step and appreciate them. Let’s help each other to fulfill those basic needs, so more of us can slow down our pace after money and spend more time in those truly matters to our life. Let's help each other to fulfill the ultimate need of self-esteem and make a better future together.

Love those...

Quote that someone has shared with me today, and find meaningful to share with everyone of you. Love those who hate you, for being better than them in somehow. Love those who look down on you, because they have yet figure out your capability. Love those who stop you from dream, because they have never live.

Management for the New Generation

Management, the word invented by mankind in 20th century. It has been evolving through years from micro-management, open door policy, carrot & stick, empowerment and lately, ownership. Due to uncertainty of the world economic, industries have to make changes to better enhance management efficiency and productivities.

However, there are still industries fail to catch up or develop into the next business model, such as service industry. Majority still serves the golden rule of “customer is always right” or “customer first”, and continuously matching the wants of their customer instead of needs. The greatest need of all customers is engagement, not a room upgrade, free meal or any free gift. Of course, they are something we love to have, but not need to have. We all desire to engage and form some sort of friendship while experience a service, but we often can’t, due to unhappy employees.

Executive management from service industry complains on the current workforce and blames on their ego. Needs of our younger generation are fail to observe by this industry, which conclude with short labor.

One needs to be paid fairly for the amount of work contributed, even if it is only mechanical works that require no initiative. Employees should be treated with respect through salary as well, which many insist to ignore although it was clearly stated in most of human needs theories, the need of security.

In addition, one should be given a clear path to success for the challenge face, and such path should not be recognized as a gift from the company. Company needs to grow talents in order to sustain, and talents need company as a platform to shine. It is a win-win situation. Nevertheless managers often believe there will be another talent coming on his/her way to their organization, but disregard the fact that there are a lot of platforms out there waiting for talents too.

Last, I would like to encourage executive management from service industry to start recognizing our younger generation as individuals. Respect their need of being significant; allow them to implement their own personality into their task. Your customers are craving to interact with another individual, not robots that treat them like king or queen. (Of course, there are still people who wish for such kind of attention, but trust me they are getting lesser.)

Pay your employee equitably, and allow them to fulfill both their career and personal goals at yours. You then will be rewarded financial without trouble yourself with the hack of managing your people.