As part of mastering The 1 Rule of career success, we have been working through how to be strong, effective leaders in a way that serves our team, not just ourselves. In order to serve our team, we must focus on understanding the motivations of each team member. In other words, we must understand what they need and learn how to help them meet their needs. As we discussed last week, there are 6 human needs. Let’s take today to learn the last 2 of the 6 human needs, the fulfillment needs.
Once you meet the 4 primary needs: certainty, uncertainty, significance, and connection/love, you can focus on the fulfillment needs:
Growth: to expand your knowledge, yourself, and your personal leadership.
Contribution: to give and serve others without getting something in return. To simply make the world better.
If you are listening to me now and you are a leader who wants to truly be a better people leader, contribution must be one of your needs that you have prioritized higher than the others. The desire to contribute at the highest level will drive you to meet that need in a way that both you and your team benefit. If you are leading only to achieve significance and to give yourself certainty that your job is secure, again you are the only person who benefits in that scenario.
When you help someone meet their basic needs, then they are willing to grow, give, serve, and be better for the team. If you believe you have helped them meet their 4 primary needs and yet they are refusing to grow and/or contribute, ask yourself which of the primary needs aren’t being met.
Be Legendary!