SCARF Management
This weekend, I got a call from a former team member who was new to managing people and was trying to figure out how to approach a new direct report. A chance to explain one of my favorite mindbending models : SCARF!
Status
Certainty
Autonomy
Relatedness
Fairness
The SCARF model attempts to summarize neurological processes in all our brains that are designed to maximize rewards / minimize threats. Basically, it boils down the handful of things that make people tick, in the context of professional fulfillment. And my own take, which is not supported by the research linked below, is that individuals tend to have 1 primary SCARF dimension when it comes to their careers; basically, there’s a core driver behind anyone’s workplace behavior. And if you can identify where they stand on the motivation spectrum, it becomes much easier to serve as their manager.
So let’s dig into each aspect, and I’ll focus specifically on how it plays into team dynamics.
[1] Status
When an employee’s perception is ancho…
