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Maslow Rising

By Art van Bodegraven | 12/10/2017 | 10:00 AM

Please enjoy the thoughts and musings of our friend, supporter, and long-time contributor Art van Bodegraven Jr., who passed away on June 18, 2017. Art was a prolific writer and had amassed a collection of unpublished blog posts he had planned to run well into the future. To honor his memory, we will continue to post these remaining blogs as he had intended. If you’ve been a fan of The Art of Art blog, check out our tribute.

 

We talk a lot about the many roles a leader must master, beginning with a solid grounding in those elements of Jungian psychology that stimulate behavioral types and the creation of cultures of innovation.  LinkedIn Learning leans in toward these important themes.

Brief mention is made of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, first published over sixty five years ago. Imagine!  65, and recognized as current today.

Many leaders, and even more managers, need a Maslow refresher course. There are those who argue that a payday ought to make for an engaged workforce.  Others, grumble at the cost, and invisibility of return, on "feel-good" efforts.  They harken back to the days of the Great Depression, when "people were happy just to have a job."

Frankly, trying to bridge the gaps from physiological needs (the paycheck) to self-actualization (the creativity in self-actualization) is not for the weak-kneed. As late night television exhorts, "But, wait, there's more!"

Maslow and his hierarchy are not a series of choices and trade-offs. Done right, they constitute integrated ways of life. Consider how Maslow gets applied at Apple, and what it means.

The Physiological—Wages above minimum, health and retirement benefits, parental leave—all contribute to moving up the hierarchy and focusing on innovation and a superlative customer experience.

Safety—In-store folks aren't paid a commision. The resulting safety permits actually helping customers, free from survival needs.

Belonging—"I work at Apple" becomes a mantra. Management-provided iPhones are signs of appreciation and belonging. Employees can, and do, connect with one another.

Esteem—Uniting the tribe around the brand generates a palpable sense of pride within the organization.  Open classrooms to greater creativity, connect people from many nations in the world, put 10,000 songs in your pocket, and blatantly promote industry-leading technology.

Self-Actualization—Having a purpose larger than oneself, and changing lives and jobs through their work.

All these define how one makes up a cult of True Believers, who do work and create profits that do them all proud. And, so goes the Apple saga.

How can you translate the Apple model to your SCM business? Is it worth evaluating, the how of the why that creates a dangerous tribe?

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About Art van Bodegraven

Art van Bodegraven

Art van Bodegraven (1939 - 2017) was Managing Principal of the van Bodegraven Associates consultancy and Founding Principal of Discovery Executive Services, which develops and delivers supply chain educational programs. He was formerly Chair of the Supply Chain Group AG, Partner at The Progress Group LLC, Development Executive at CSCMP, Practice Leader with S4 Consulting, and a Managing Director in Coopers & Lybrand's consulting practice. Concentrating in supply chain management and logistics for over 20 years in his 50+ year business career, he has led ground-breaking strategic, operational, and educational projects for leading US and global clients. Art was principal co-author of DC Velocity's Basic Training monthly column for a decade, and was the principal co-author, with Ken Ackerman, of Fundamentals of Supply Chain Management, the definitive primer in the field. His popular blog, The Art of Art, has been a staple of DC Velocity's web site since its inception.



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