The STRONGEST threats and rewards are actually SOCIAL
There is a model based on neuroscience to understand how the brain’s processing of threats and rewards can influence engagement, teamwork and inclusion.
This model explains what is happening in anyone’s (and everyone’s) brains. It’s a simple acronym to help us think through ways to identify and mitigate social threats.
How it helps is by gaining a basic understanding of the neuroscience of inclusion you can then make and support intentional choices that cultivate a sense of belonging for yourself and everyone around you.
The main organizing principle of the brain is to see things as either a threat or reward.
If the brain perceives a threat, it will send signals to you to get away from it.
If the brain perceives a reward, it will send signals to you to move toward it.
The SCARF model describes the five primary triggers of threat and reward in the social brain.
What motivates and de-motivates us with regard to our SCARF domains is very personal and unique to each one of us.
Knowing what can cause a threat response enables us to create interactions to minimize threats.
Conversely, knowing about drivers that can activate a reward response, enables us to influence others by tapping into internal rewards
Being aware of your own drivers of threats and rewards will also help you to
- Status is about wanting to feel valued, esteemed, the reward message is “I am valuable and valued”
- Certainty is about wanting clarity and context, the reward message is “I know where I stand”
- Autonomy is about wanting to be able to do my own thing, the reward message is “I have a choice”
- Relatedness is about wanting to connect with the group, the reward message is “I belong”
- Fairness is about wanting things to go along relatively impartially, the reward message is “I am treated fairy and with respect”
A negative/threat response heightens momentary alertness, but decreases wider perception, cognition, creativity and collaboration.
We lessen our ability to clearly see issues, solve problems and work with others.
In everyday language, this means we get tunnel vision, can’t think as well, our creativity and ability to solve problems decreases and we aren’t as good at working with others. A threat reaction can have big implication on performance. In short: We get dumber.
A positive/reward response can increase our field of view, cognition, creative insights and collaboration.
These are attributes and actions that are important to effective teamwork.
If people feel reward within at least some or all of their SCARF domains, they are more likely to work well with others, develop creative insights, hold a broader perspective and access more of their working memory. They are more likely to be a strong performing teammate.
So to wrap up, think of a variety of scenarios where you can:
- Identify the most likely SCARF threat for example Autonomy
- Identify the domain to offset with reward for example Certainty
- Identify a specific action to take
There is often more than one SCARF threat (focus on the biggest one)
There is often more than one option for offsetting the threat with reward – again select the one that will give you the biggest shift towards reward
The most important thing is to be really specific about the ACTION to take (otherwise it just stays as an idea)
