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The Acquired Needs Theory holds that people are motivated by three
needs developed over our lives:
● Achievement
● Affiliation
● Power
The following survey was designed to assess your acquired needs
within your current organization.
Adapted from R. S. Blackburn, “An Evaluation of the
Reliability, Stability and Factor Structure of the Manifest Needs
Questionnaire,” Fall 1981, pp. 55–62.
Source:
Journal of Management,
Read each statement in the survey and select the rating that reflects
the extent to which you agree or disagree with the scenario in the
statement. There are no right or wrong answers. After completing the
self-assessment, read the feedback that explains how to understand
your score and interpret your results.
You must respond to all statements in order to receive full credit for
this self-assessment activity.
Achievement
I do my best work when my job assignments are fairly dicult.1.
Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree
Strongly Agree
I try very hard to improve on my past performance at work.2.
Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree
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I take moderate risks and stick my neck out to get ahead at work.3.
Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree
Strongly Agree
I do not avoid any added responsibilities on my job.4.
Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree
Strongly Agree
I try to perform better than my co-workers.5.
Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree
Strongly Agree
Affiliation
When I have a choice I try to work in a group instead of by myself.6.
Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree
Strongly Agree
I pay a good deal of attention to the feelings of others at work.7.
Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree
Strongly Agree
I prefer to work with others rather than alone.8.
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Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree
Strongly Agree
I do not express my disagreements with others openly.9.
Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree
Strongly Agree
I nd myself talking to those around me about non-business related
matters.
10.
Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree
Strongly Agree
Power
I seek an active role in the leadership of a group.11.
Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree
Strongly Agree
I try to inuence those around me to see things my way.12.
Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree
Strongly Agree
I nd myself organizing and directing the activities of others.13.
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Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree
Strongly Agree
I strive to gain more control over the events around me at work.14.
Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree
Strongly Agree
I strive to be “in command” when I am working in a group.15.
Strongly
Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree
Strongly Agree
Achievement
Achievement
0
25
23
23/25
Range
19 to
25
You may have high need for
achievement.
Aliation
Aliation
0
25
14
14/25
Range
12 to
18
You may have moderate need for
aliation.
Power
Power
0
25
24
24/25
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25
24
Range
19 to
25 You may have high need for power.
The Acquired Needs Theory holds that people are motivated by the
following three needs, which we develop over the course of our lives:
● – If your score is low, this indicates you may not
feel the need to strive for high performance in your work or
schooling. In contrast, if your score is high, you might have that
need. Persons who have high need for achievement tend to like
jobs where pay and performance are linked and where
advancement is possible. In addition to the results of this self-
assessment, you can judge your level of need for achievement
by the need you feel to earn consistently high grades in your
coursework.
Achievement
● – If your score is low, this indicates you are not very
concerned by what others think about you, and you do not
spend a lot of time developing close relationships with other
people. If your score is high, you may have a strong desire for
warm and deep relationships with other people. Persons high in
need for affiliation tend to prefer work requiring social
relationships such as sales. Persons high in need for affiliation
may struggle with making hard decisions about subordinates
that managers are expected to make. In addition to the results
of this self-assessment, you can judge your level of need for
affiliation by the extent to which you are likely to prefer getting
to know other people as opposed to being sure the task
assigned to you is completed on time.
Affiliation
● – If your score is low, you may not have a need to be in
a position to influence other people. If your score is high, you
may find that you strongly desire to be in managerial and
leadership positions in which you can exert influence over how
things are done and decisions that are made. Persons high in
need for power tend to gravitate towards supervisory and
managerial positions. In addition to the results of this self-
assessment, you can judge your level of need for power by
reflecting on your desire to take control in group situations.
Power
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person. If one score is significantly higher than the others, this might
indicate you are particularly motivated by that particular need.
The primary value of reflecting on your needs is to help you have a
fuller understanding of yourself and the kind of jobs for which you are
best suited. For example, persons high in need for achievement tend
to fit in jobs which require creativity and reliance on individual skills.
Persons high in affiliation tend to fit in jobs which require collaboration
with other people and the building of personal relationships. People
high in need for power fit in jobs which are visible and have
considerable responsibility. In addition, these needs will also influence
the goals that you have in life. Understanding yourself will help you to
understand why you have certain goals and motivations, and it will
help you to understand why other people have different goals and
motivations.
In addition to this self-reflection, your school may well have a career
office where you can find people skilled in helping you to assess your
needs and aspirations, along with other factors such as skill and
abilities. This information can be very helpful in suggesting types of
work in which you would excel and from which you would draw deep
satisfaction. In addition to the career office, faculty members, coaches,
parents and other acquaintances are good sources of advice and
guidance on these matters.
Remember your score on this self-assessment, while useful for self-
understanding, should not be over-interpreted. First, every person is
complex and it is impossible to fully capture your uniqueness in a short
self-assessment. Second, you may well find your motivations and
needs may change over time, or you may come to understand what
your perspective actually is only later in life. Third, while the advice
given above is research based and helpful, these results only describe
tendencies. There are many people who might score low on need for
achievement who will, in time, prove themselves to be high achievers.
So, this self-assessment is useful to the extent it helps you to
understand both yourself and others, but you should let it limit your
dreams and aspirations.
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