Under Siege: 'Needs; less ANTs and more PETs'

“We learn from the past and influence the future by how we behave in the present”

Applying some learning from the past, I remember how as Hostage Negotiators we made use of the ‘Hierarchy of Human Needs;’ a model first published in 1943 by psychologist, Abraham Maslow.

In the chaos of crisis, the simplicity of this original concept is easily remembered and helps sense-making for both ‘our and their’ behaviour.

For all and particularly leaders, it can enable better appreciation for the potential impact of decision making when it comes to the challenge of navigating a course through the storm of Covid-19 and beyond.

In simple terms, Maslow’s concept suggested that there is a hierarchy of ‘needs’ that influences people’s behaviour. It operates in the following sequential order.

1. Physiological - basic human needs such as food, water, heat, light; the very basics of what we need to survive
2. Safety and Security – what enables us to feel safe and secure in our environment – no fear!
3. Social – as a social species; the contact with others that helps us belong
4. Self-esteem – what makes us feel confident about ourselves, respect, recognition, ego
5. Achieving our full potential – having a great day ??

Starting at 1 - Physiological, every sequential ‘need’ has to be uniquely satisfied to a level appropriate for each of us, before we shift our focus to the next ‘need’ in the scale. They all fluctuate as we experience daily life and dependent on how those ‘needs’ are met, influences our motivation and behaviour.

Covid-19 has brought this hierarchy into sharp relief. The ‘lock-down’ has significantly altered our ‘social’ balance and the uncertainty of what Covid may mean for health and the economy has caused most of us to be fixated on levels 1 and 2. What has suffered perhaps most is our confidence, hopes, dreams and aspirations, creating an overwhelming sense of a lack of control and negativity. We see this displayed every day in the news and our personal lives.

As we move through the Covid-19 crisis, the prospect of redundancy and business survival looms. It can cause an expanding gulf between business leaders and their employees. The ‘bosses’ are perceived as still having their wealth, suffering only from losses in ‘self-esteem’ and the performance of their business. Even business failure is not necessarily viewed by them as catastrophic, but what it means for employees, is traumatic focus on basic survival, levels 1 -2.

This introduces another lesson from past experience; we all experience automatic negative thoughts and like Maslow’s needs, they have their rhythm of ups and downs.

The Covid-19 assault has caused a far higher level of automatic negative thoughts (ANTS) and for many, there are no or very limited positive emotional thoughts (PETS). As a wise friend of mine eloquently put it, if you go on a picnic you won’t be surprised to get a few ANTS, but you would not want an infestation!

So, in the current extremis, the counterbalance is to seek less ANTS and more PETS!

Hopefully the analogy sparks a smile, but where do you start?

Control; in crisis, our sense of control takes a hammering and it feels as if we have completely lost all control.

Going back to where I started:

“We learn from the past and influence the future by how we behave in the present”

What we do have control over is how we choose to behave in the here and now; the present. Navigating a sound course through the crisis storm requires focus on things we can directly control, plus, doing them really well. That is what generates the ‘more PETS effect’ and thereby reduces the ANTS! Levels 1 to 2 are about basic survival. Those ‘needs’ are the foundation for growth and development which prospers through levels 3 to 5.

Use these tools as a lens to focus on what you can control today. In life, it is so often, the biggest thing that influences the future.