What is the pyramid?

The pyramid refers to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which is a theory that describes human needs and how these are prioritised.

Level 1 - Physiological Needs

These are biological needs. They consist of needs for oxygen, food, water, and a relatively constant body temperature. They are the strongest needs because if a person were deprived of all needs, the physiological ones would come first in the person's search for satisfaction.

Level 2 - Safety Needs

When all physiological needs are satisfied and are no longer controlling thoughts and behaviors, needs for security can become active. Adults have little awareness of their security needs except in times of emergency or periods of disorganization in the social structure (such as widespread rioting). Children often display the signs of insecurity and the need to be safe.

Level 3 - Need for Love, Affection and Belongingness

When the needs for safety and for physiological well-being are satisfied, the next class of needs for love, affection and belongingness can emerge. Maslow states that people seek to overcome feelings of loneliness and alienation. This involves both giving and receiving love, affection and the sense of belonging.

Level 4 - Need for Esteem

When the first three classes of needs are satisfied, the needs for esteem can become dominant. These involve needs for both self-esteem and for the esteem a person gets from others. Humans have a need for a stable, firmly based, high level of self-respect, and respect from others. When these needs are satisfied, the person feels self-confident and valuable as a person in the world. When these needs are frustrated, the person feels inferior, weak, helpless and worthless.

Level 5 - Need for Self-ActualizationWhen all of the forenamed needs are satisfied, the need for self-actualization is activated. Maslow describes self-actualization as a person's need to be and do that which the person was "born to do." "A musician must make music, an artist must paint, and a poet must write." These needs make themselves felt in signs of restlessness. The person feels on edge, tense, lacking something, in short, restless. If a person is hungry, unsafe, not loved or accepted, or lacking self-esteem, it is often easy to know why a person is restless. It is not always clear exactly what a person wants when there is a need for self-actualization.

As human beings we strive to reach the top of the 'pyramid', sometimes, it's slow going, sometimes we secretly believe we can't make it, or we get distracted or 'stuck' where we are, or even forget to try and therefore fail to reach our full potential.
Others have their eye on the peak and and would like to be held accountable for making sure they reach it through being encouraged and motivated even when at times the going can be tough.

These are the points at which coaching can make the difference.

You might consider coaching to be like a pit-stop. Imagine a person trying to find their way to their destination at the top of the pyramid.

They want to find the fastest way to get there, but may have lost sight of their route up to the top, or may not be sure where the 'destination is' anymore, or are simply feeling a bit weary having had a feeling that they are not where they want to be or where they should be, and searching, but not finding what they are looking for...
When you need support with any of these challenges, you 'pull in' for some coaching to get what you need and return to your path again with renewed confidence, energy and a clear plan.