Leadership Blind Spot #2: The Hidden Motivators at Work

Let’s face it. We’re human. And this means we’re going to have blind spots.?

But it’s these blind spots in your work that hinder your growth and fulfillment. For the last couple weeks, I’ve been addressing the most common leadership blind spots one-by-one. And this week, we’re going to be talking about the hidden motivators at work - aka core needs.

Needs?

Yep. What you need and how you get these needs met is one of the leadership blind spots.

Needs are something that often flies under the radar. But understanding and addressing your core needs can profoundly impact your satisfaction and engagement at work.?

In this article, I’m going to go a little deeper on the concept of expectations and needs, how they show up in the workplace, and how addressing them can lead to greater job satisfaction and success.

Before we dig in, I need to distinguish between Values and Needs:

Values represent our unique guiding principles, defining our beliefs and priorities. These are things like integrity, courage, purpose, achievement. Needs are more universal, shared by all individuals. Though the prioritization may vary, these are things like certainty, significance, love or connection, and growth. Identifying your core needs is critical in giving you a sense of meaning in your life - and work.

The Power of Core Needs:

If you harken back to your Psych 101 class, you’ll recall learning about Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which described human needs in five main categories: physiological, safety, love & belonging, esteem and self-actualization/growth.

Anthony Robbins reframed these into six core needs shared by all of us:

• Certainty/Stability: The desire for predictability and security in our professional lives.
• Variety/Change: The need for excitement, challenge, and diversity in our daily work routine.
• Significance: The quest for recognition, achievement, and growth in our roles.
• Love/Connection: The longing for meaningful connections and positive relationships in the workplace.
• Growth: The thirst for continuous learning, development, and personal growth.
• Contribution: The fulfillment derived from making a positive impact on others or the organization.

The needs summarized above make sense. But they’re under the radar. And most people don’t give them a second thought.

Here’s where the blind spots come into play:

1. You Don’t Know What You Need

The first blind spot occurs when you are oblivious to your core needs. If, for example, you have a strong need for stability & certainty, and you’re in charge of the new product launch, the new team isn’t formed, there’s mixed (or no) direction from management, you have no clear KPIs or outcomes and you’ve never done this before….you might be cranky, angry, overwhelmed, hesitant, controlling or a combination of all the above. And have no idea what is really the matter. Failing to recognize and acknowledge what you need can lead to a never-ending cycle of frustration and dissatisfaction in your job.

2. You Don’t Ask For What You Need:

This is the biggie. Even if you know what you need, there’s frequently a dismissal or hesitation to ask for it. Using the product launch example above, the first step would be to acknowledge what you really need in this situation: certainty. The second step would then be to ask for what is needed: headcount to build the dream team, clarity from management on what success looks like, agreement on KPIs, etc. The issue with this blind spot is that we often expect others to read our minds - and come to the rescue to meet our needs for us. Unfortunately, there is no white knight, no savior who will miraculously appear. Not asking for what you need results in perpetual frustration, unmet expectations, disengagement and decreased job satisfaction.

3. Misaligned Behavior with Needs:

The third blind spot arises when our behavior contradicts our core needs. For example, if you value growth but end up taking a new role that’s a lower level, this incongruence can lead to stress, unhappiness, grumpiness and/or depression. Another example is balance, which would tie to the need for love & connection with self, family, spirit, etc. If you say you want more balance but are the one who constantly works until midnight every night, your behavior is training others how to treat you. And thus, starting a downward death spiral of not honoring what you really need.

To create a meaningful and fulfilling work experience, you can overcome these blind spots by pressing pause, and doing these four things:

Reflection and Awareness:

Take time to self-reflect and identify what you really need in any given situation. If you need more certainty in your job, acknowledge that. Then take actions or make choices to align with this. Understanding what you need increases motivation and fulfillment at work (and home) and will help you make informed career choices.

Open Communication:

Once you’ve paused to identify what it is that you need most, don't hesitate to speak up and express - or ask for - what you need. Remember that your colleagues, boss and even your S.O. can’t read your mind. Open, honest and sometimes vulnerable communication fosters understanding and collaboration, leading to a more supportive work environment.

Align Behavior with Needs:

This one requires awareness, boundaries and (new) choices. If you’re feeling resentful about a specific activity, identify why. Is the late-night email pattern because you’re lone wolfing it and not asking for help? Is procrastination happening because you don’t have enough certainty about what needs to get done? Is disengagement and boredom happening because you’re craving growth? Getting down to the root cause of a behavior enables you to change the pattern. This is both freeing and fulfilling.

Respect for Diverse Needs:

Recognize that everyone has unique core needs. It’s common for us to assume that others need the same things we do, but this is rarely the case. Get curious with your teammates. Ask and embrace the diversity of needs and collaborate to create an inclusive work environment.

Understanding and addressing what you really need is a powerful tool. By unveiling the blind spots related to needs, you can experience greater motivation, job satisfaction, engagement, fulfillment and success in your career.?

Julie Schaller is a professional coach and president of Career Growth Coaching. Her mission is to empower leaders to realize their potential and create positive impact in their careers. Julie helps her clients build a game plan for their career, gain clarity of their ideal role, position themselves for success and land their ideal role. Learn more at careergrowthcoaching.com or schedule time HERE