McClelland's Theory of Needs

McClelland's theory of needs, also known as the acquired needs theory, is a motivation theory developed by psychologist David McClelland that holds individuals are primarily driven by three needs acquired over the course of life through experience: the need for achievement, the need for affiliation, and the need for power. McClelland argued that individuals develop differing relative strengths of these three needs, and that a person's dominant need shapes the kind of work, goals, and management style that will motivate them most effectively. The theory has been applied in management practice to inform decisions about job design, team composition, and leadership development, and is commonly taught alongside other content theories of motivation such as Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Herzberg's two-factor theory.