MotiveStructureAnalysis MSA®

The MotiveStructureAnalysis MSA® is a personality instrument and is based on the personality and motivation research of the last 10 - 15 years. It was developed in collaboration with several German universities as part of a scientific study and takes into account the work and hypotheses of renowned motivational psychologists such as William McDougall, Abraham Maslow, Paul T. Costa and Robert R. McCrae.

This research has shown that there are stable characteristics of a person that endure over time. These stable traits are also known colloquially as character, temperament, personality or inner motivation. The following fundamental "intrinsic" motives are known today, most of which come from within: knowledge, loyalty to principles, power, status, order, material security, freedom, relationships, help/care, family, idealism, recognition, competition, risk, food, physical activity, sensuality and spirituality. The MSA unites these basic motives, which were previously usually treated separately, into an overall system.

The MSA goes even further. In contrast to many common personality instruments, which focus purely on the behavioural level, the MSA shows why a person behaves the way they do. In addition, the MSA does not present this personal motive structure as a static state, but for the first time in its dynamics. The individual motives are complementary in every person and are shown in an easily understandable way.

As a leader, you want to...

  • understand what really motivates you and your employees and thus realise your potential in a targeted manner?
  • recognise where your personal energy sources and energy sinks are and derive simple and effective measures to increase your effectiveness?
  • understand yourself, but above all your employees, better and thus lead and communicate more confidently?
  • optimise teamwork?

“Everyone has something that drives them.“

Employee retention and performance is...

... is at its highest when the people in the company feel recognised and addressed in their personality and they do for the company what corresponds to their motivational structure. This is exactly where I use the Motive Structure Analysis (MSA). The scientific MSA is an innovative coaching and management tool for identifying people's individual motivational structure. This basic emotional character is based on 18 basic motives, the characteristics of which have a lasting and significant influence on the personality, its drives and value orientations.

In contrast to most behavioural or personality analyses, the MSA clarifies the question of which inner driving forces really motivate someone: Each basic motive acts as a lasting "lucky charm" and motivator of a person's personal abilities and potential if this motive can be lived and realised in a given situation.

“What moves us“

Personalities are convincing because they are authentic and consciously perceive others. This is why strong leaders scrutinise what motivates them - and discover uniqueness as a driving force.

Download article (PDF) (in german)