Article by Stephen Burrell
Leveraging the SCARF Model for Effective Performance Coaching and Leadership
There are various techniques for employee performance coaching which continuously stimulate employees to improve their skills, gain new skills, and reach their full potential. As a leader, every time you interact with your team members, you are either meeting or depriving them of their social needs. The language and behaviour you use can either be uplifting and motivational or it will cause them to shut down and withdraw. In 2008, David Rock concluded in his neuroscience research paper "SCARF: A Brain-Based Model for Collaborating with and Influencing Others."
The SCARF model introduced us to five key domains that impact people's behaviour and emotional responses in social situations.
1. Status refers to an individual's perceived position or rank within a particular social group or hierarchy.
2. Certainty refers to the level of predictability and control individuals have over their environment and the future.
3. Autonomy refers to the sense of freedom and control individuals have over their own actions and decisions.
4. Relatedness pertains to the sense of connection, belonging, and social interaction individuals have with others.
5. Fairness refers to the perception of equity and justice in social exchanges and interactions.
According to the SCARF model, these factors are considered to be fundamental to human motivation and can greatly influence how individuals perceive and react to different situations. While they may not be directly measurable in a quantitative sense, their impact on human experiences and well-being can be observed and understood through qualitative means. When employees are excluded from an activity, they may interpret it as a challenge to their status and relatedness. Studies indicate that this reaction can activate the same brain region associated with physical pain, implying that their brain will perceive it as a threat. And when we experience a physical or social threat, the release of the "stress hormone (cortisol)" hampers our ability to think clearly and affects our productivity, and this intensifies the sense of being threatened. Conversely, when we feel acknowledged or rewarded, for example, when receiving praise for our work, our brains release dopamine, also known as the "happy hormone." Consequently, we desire more of such positive experiences and actively seek ways to be rewarded again.
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