when working with children. The forth level concentrates on self-esteem. As mentioned earlier the manager is working towards an N-affil approach with staff this it is believed to give self-esteem so the staff will then feel confident to engage in discussions. However, this method could cause concern for the manager as there may not be a clear barrier between staff and management team and there may be a lack of respect.

Maslow’s fifth and highest level is ‘Self-Actualization’. Maslow (1970) suggests that individuals are capable of self-actualization that most will never do so. Within the setting the deputy manager sacrifice’s her basic needs, for example she will work through break times, she does not work for financial gain as wages are poor, she works over her hours to get work completed. This could be seen that staff do their job to try and reach self-actualization and strive to better results. Stevenson (2014) argues that early year’s leaders work with others to initiate and react to crises in a way that equilibrium is restored.

This is where it seems regular appraisals would be beneficial for all staff member within the setting. Not only do they allow staff, who have low self-esteem, get their concerns across, but it also enables managers to report any issues that may arise and conduct a plan of action where needed. It gives them both some privacy and a chance to engage on a more personal level. An appraisal is a tool to measure a team member’s strengths and weaknesses and develop an action plan with realistic targets. Generally, appraisals are emphasised as a good motivation technique as they help the workforce feel valued and delegate work to more senior staff Thomas (2003).

Highlighted throughout the case study there appears to be work overload for the deputy manager and sometimes the manager seems to lack vision and dive where decisions need to be made. Therefore, this could lead to confusion within the work force as the manager does not appear to have vision. The employees then have to make their own judgement and carry out the task, this suggests the staff may feel frustrated and unmotivated. Isles-Buck and Newstead (2003:10) suggest that ‘managers need to be able to hold and progress a vision so that the rest of the team are regularly aware of what their work is about and why it is important to change and deliver their practice. Having vision improves the service the setting delivers as well as keeping individual team members focused and motivated’. Goleman (1995) suggests leaders direct where a group is going, yet not how it will get there this indicates employees are free to innovate