Hierarchy of Needs
Probably the most well-known theory of motivation, Maslow's hierarchy of wants suggests that every human being has a hierarchy of five requirements. An individual moves progressively through this hierarchy, and the steps, from lowest to highest that are physiological, safety, esteem, social, and self-actualization. According to Maslow, if you need to motivate someone you have to first understand what stages of the hierarchy that person is recently on and focus on meeting the requirement at those stages. The theory's intuitive logic and simple for understanding makes it appealing to managers. However, research does not generally validate the theory.