Need for achievement is a person's desire for significant accomplishment, mastery of skills, control, or high standards.
[citation needed] David McClelland and his collaborators John William Atkinson, Russell A. Clark and Edgar L. Lowell later investigated achievement motivation.
[4]: 12–13 McClelland also found that high-need-for-achievers will accept risk only to the degree they believe their personal contributions will make a difference in the outcome.
Measured with the thematic apperception test (TAT), need for achievement motivates an individual to succeed in competition, and to excel in activities important to them.
At higher management levels where promotions were based on demonstrated leadership ability, high N-Ach was not associated with success.