Beyond the pyramid: reimagining the hierarchy of the human needs

We’ve all seen the pyramid

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs has long shaped how we understand motivation and human potential — from survival at the base to self-actualisation at the top.

But real life doesn’t work in clean lines.

And human beings?

We’re not pyramids.

We’re ecosystems.

I’ve been reimagining this iconic model — not to redefine the needs themselves, but to see them differently:Through the lens of purpose, connection, and our deep relationship with the living world.

Reimagining the hierarchy of the human needs

This isn’t a new list of needs. It’s a new way of seeing them — not as separate steps, but as an interconnected system.

In this circular view, needs are not stacked or ranked.They interact. They influence one another.And every one of them is connected to something bigger: The living world that holds us.

At the centre is what guides us —purpose and values.

Not a goal to reach, but a compass that flows through everything we do.

Around it are the familiar human needs —esteem, love & belonging, safety, physiological.

Each one in relationship with the others. Each one influenced by — and dependent on — the living system we are a part of. Water. Soil. Air. Biodiversity.

Because we’re not separate from nature. We are nature.

Purpose and values aren’t optional — they’re structural

Too often, organisations treat purpose and values as something to "define later."In this view, they sit at the centre.They’re not something we get to after the business case is secure — they’re what give the business case meaning.

Purpose inspires. Values guide. Actions represent. Habits define.

That’s how we move from inspiration to meaningful action.

Self-transcendence isn’t a luxury — it lives in the margins

Traditional models suggest self-actualisation only happens once all other needs are met.But I’ve seen something different.

In the most resource-poor settings — in moments of crisis, challenge, or care — people often demonstrate the deepest empathy, creativity, and generosity.

Self-transcendence doesn’t only live at the top. Its grows everywhere.

It can show up anywhere — in a decision made with kindness, in a workplace that makes room for meaning, or in how we care for one another under pressure.

Strategic planning needs a human lens

If human needs are this interconnected — then surely our strategies should be too.Strategy needs a new kind of lens. One that’s human, relational, and ecological.

As leaders, what if we asked a different set of questions? Ones that:

• Honour each human need

• Recognise how the human needs shape one another

• Acknowledge our interdependence with the living world

Because how we lead, decide, and design affects how people feel, connect, and contribute.

These questions are grouped by need — not because they exist in isolation, but because each one offers a different doorway into the same living system.

Every reflection touches others. They’re all connected.

Purpose & values

• Are our purpose and values guiding how we create safety, connection, and dignity?

• How do our values show up in daily decisions, not just statements?

• Do our values reflect care for the ecosystems we depend on?

Esteem

• Do people feel respected, trusted, and empowered to contribute meaningfully?

• Are we building confidence — or just compliance?

• Does our culture uphold the dignity of both people and planet?

Belonging & connection

• Do people feel seen and part of something larger?

• Are we designing for genuine connection, not just collaboration?

• Are our communities regenerative — or extractive?

Safety & stability

• What does psychological safety truly look like here?

• Are we offering stability in how we lead, plan, and care — for people and ecosystems?

• Could our workplace be a place of refuge, not just performance?

Physiological needs

• Are we making space for rest, nourishment, and care in how we work?

• How are we accounting for the ecological resources our business relies on — water, land, energy?

• What are we doing to support health — of people, and of the environments they live in?

The living system

• Are we regenerating or depleting the Earth in how we operate?

• Is our success aligned with the wellbeing of the systems we’re part of?

• What would it mean to measure success in terms of planetary health — not just profit?

General questions

• Which needs are we over-prioritising at the expense of others?

• Where are we disconnected — from each other, our values, or the world around us?

• How might we lead and design as part of a larger system — not just for short-term outcomes?

  
  

It’s time to think more human.

These aren’t just leadership questions.

They’re human questions.

We’re not here to climb a pyramid.

We’re here to tend an ecosystem —to build cultures, teams, and strategies that honour both the whole human and the whole planet.

So if you're planning your next leadership session, culture reset, or strategic roadmap —start here:

With human needs.

With purpose & values.

With a better way to be in business.

Love Yourself. Love the World.

Create Magic. Think Human.