Abraham Maslow proposed a sixth level in his renowned five level hierarchy of human needs, which behavioural neuroscience has since confirmed. These levels explain the essential drivers of our behaviours, actions and reactions.For leaders to be successful, they should first ensure that their own needs are met, and then understand and help their team members meet their needs. To do this, a leader needs to understand that their team members have 6 essential needs - physiological, safety and security, belonging, mattering, self-Actualisation and transcendence. Each of these needs must be fulfilled in order for an individual to reach their fullest potential. Leaders should strive to provide their teams with meaningful work, opportunities for growth, and an environment of trust, collaboration and respect.Thanks for reading Joy@Work! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Only by understanding and meeting the essential needs of their team members, a leader can develop a successful and productive team.Why you need thisYou need to be able to help your team fill their own power cell and ignite their destiny. Every team member has different needs and motivations and it’s the job of the leader to understand and meet those needs through different strategies.They need to feel accepted, respected and that their ideas matter. Leaders should be mindful to include emotional intelligence in their leadership strategy. They should be cognizant of the emotional needs and psychological dynamics of their team and give team members the space to express their feelings.Leaders should use empowering language and be mindful of their team’s limits. Each team member should have meaningful work and have opportunities for growth. Leaders should also be conscious of what their team members value and strive to provide them with those things.It is also the leader’s job to foster a team environment where team members can collaborate, solve problems and grow together. Leaders should recognise the importance of building trust and rapport within the team, and ensure that all team members are treated fairly and equally.Finally, leading a team requires understanding the different needs of each team member. A great leader is someone who has the ability to empathise and be compassionate with each team member and see things from their perspective. By doing this, the leader can help each individual in the team realize their full potential, and maximise the collective potential of the whole team.Abraham Maslow wanted to add a sixth level to his renowned five level hierarchy of human needs. Today, with our increased understanding through behavioural neuroscience, he was right to want to include it. These 6 human needs are THE essential drivers of our every day behaviours, actions and reactions.What does this mean for you as a Leader?Every leader needs to understand:* How to fulfil their own needs, and* Their role in helping all of their team members meet their essential, human needs.Ultimately, by doing so, those leaders can fulfil their own need to help and serve others.Is Your Battery Running Low?Imagine that your needs are like a discharged battery that you are able to charge through your life activities.When the bottom cell is sufficiently filled, the next cell can be charged. All human beings have 6 essential needs, or power cells.Though, some people have faulty power packs - with a corrupted sixth cell that has been taken over by a leaky fifth cell. That is, they care less about other people because their self-esteem is so overfilled they hold others in total contempt - because they matter less than me!Beware overfilling any one cell: Gluttony and Obesity with an overfilled Cell 1, Excessive risk taking for Cell 2.And many have a leaky battery, where their own needs never get filled.What does this mean for you as a Leader?Every leader needs to understand:* Your own needs need to be met BEFORE you have enough to give others, and* Whilst things may