Human Needs - Freedom

Freedom is the need for independence and spontaneity. It is also the need to have choices and to feel in control of making those choices. In many people, Freedom might be combined with Adventure, since a person who has a need for Freedom might be willing to partake of more Adventures, than a person who has both Freedom and Security. Freedom does not care for plans or heavy structure. What constitutes Freedom for one person may be very different from another's need perception of Freedom.

Examples of how Freedom manifests for different people:

• Having choices and making their own choices
• Feeling free to move around without restrictions
• Feeling free to make decisions in their job
• Making choices about relationships
• Choosing where they live
• Choosing what work assignments they will accept
• Teaching others how to be self-sufficient
• Refusing to obey rules that were created by someone else
• Making or enforcing rules that allow Freedom and free choices for others
• Advocating Freedom as a basic human right
• Keeping their options open by not making decisions
• Re-arranging their work space
• Changing their appearance, hair style or way of dressing
• Feeling free to be themselves, regardless of what they are doing or what situation they find themselves in
• Feeling free to search or seek out answers rather than having answers imposed upon them
• Having the freedom to work as they feel is best - either by what hours they work, what days they work, or by how they approach a job or a project
• Refusing to "make a commitment" (an easily recognized example of the need for Freedom)

Positive aspects : Independence, self-confidence, high self-esteem, teaching others, clarity, a way out of martyrdom (feeling stuck, trapped or sorry for yourself)

Negative aspects : Relationship avoidance, fear of commitment, separation and distancing from others, inability to understand others and be understood, manipulative (imposing on people's freedom).

How this need affects the workplace : People with a need for Freedom may resist any and all attempts to impose new rules on them. If they work in an "open" environment, they may excel at projects that require or reward independent thinking and spontaneity. They will make good teachers of people who are expected to exercise independent judgment.

Someone who manages a person with a need for Freedom will get along best with them when they recognize and respect that person's to make choices for themselves. People with a need for Freedom must recognize that need in themselves and not take jobs that are very rule-oriented; rather they must look for situations where their need for Freedom can be exercised appropriately.