1. Conduct or philosophy based on (or one who adopts) the cynical beliefs of Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) whose name (in
popular perception) is synonymous with deception and duplicity in management and statecraft. Born in Florence (Italy),
Machiavelli was its second chancellor and (in 1531) wrote the book 'The Prince' that discusses ways in which the rulers of
a nation state can gain and control power. Although The Prince contains some keen and practical insights into human
behavior, it also displays a pessimistic view of human nature and condones opportunistic and unethical ways of
manipulating people. One of its suggestions reads, "Whoever desires to found a state and give it laws, must start with
assuming that all men are bad and ever ready to display their vicious nature."
The capacity of mental, physical, emotional, and social activities experienced during the five stages of a
human being's life - prenatal, infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Includes the behaviors as
dictated by culture, society, values, morals, ethics, and genetics.
HUMAN BEHAVIORHuman behavior is the result of attempts to satisfycertain needs.
These needs may be simple tounderstand and easy to identify, such as the need
forfood and water. They also may be complex, such as theneed for respect and
acceptance.Why do people act the way they do? Why do somepeople have an easy
time, while others have a hard timeadjusting to shipboard life? Why, with an
upcomingextended deployment, do some crew members lookforward to visiting
foreign ports, while others prefer tostay with the familiar homeport?Finding the
answers to these questions is not easy.In fact, a whole branch of science and
psychology hastried to answer such questions but has found nohard-and-fast
answers. In general, you could saypeople behave the way they do for a reason.
However,the reason may not be clear; in fact, it may not belogical or rational either
to you or to the person inquestion.By observing human behavior, you can gain
theknowledge you need to better understand yourself andother people. You can
learn why people act and react incertain ways. You can learn how to identify the
varioustypes of behavior and needs of people. You also canlearn how to influence
the behavior of people so thatthey can see how meeting the needs of the
commandwill satisfy their own needs.Don’t take lightly human behavior and
itsapplication to the areas of leadership and supervision.How well you understand
and apply the basic conceptscould determine, to a great extent, your success in
theNavy. All successful petty officers must have anunderstanding of people’s
behavior. If you understandthe needs of your people and help them to satisfy
thoseneeds, you will succeed as a leader.We can reasonably determine an
individual’sneeds by understanding basic human needs. We allhave five basic levels
of need. Our needs are in order ofimportance, such as our need to relieve pain
(survival)is more important than a need to be liked by coworkers

2.  social belonging). If we satisfy one level, then wework to satisfy the next level of need. This
needsatisfaction is an ongoing behavior that determines oureveryday actions.Now look at the
five groups, or levels, of needs andthe definition of each:
 1. SURVIVAL—The survival level consists of thebasics we need to sustain life itself; for
example,oxygen, food, water, sleep, and relief from pain.
 2. SAFETY-SECURITY—The safety-
securitylevel involves the need for protection from possiblethreats, such as violence, disea
se, or poverty. It alsoincludes the need for the security of an adequate job andmoney in the
bank.
 3.SOCIAL-BELONGING—
The social, orbelonging, level concerns the need to be liked andwanted by family, fr
iends, coworkers, and others withwhom we associate.
 4. ESTEEM—
The esteem level involves ourfeelings of importance. To satisfy our esteem needs, wemust
get a feeling of importance from two sources.First, we must have a feeling of importance tha
t comesfrom within; this feeling is self-esteem. Second, sinceself-
esteem alone will not satisfy our esteem needs, wemust feel that other people believe we are
important.
 5. SELF-ACTUALIZATION—Self-
actualizationis the full realization of our own potential. Simplystated, that means we
know our limits and try toperform, within those limits, to our full
potential.These five levels of needs are acted out inbehaviors. You, as a leader, with
an understanding ofthese needs, can help your people satisfy their needsand be more succ
essful