6 Human Needs Driving Business Success Today

By: Jeanet Wade | 5,480 Reads | 13 Shares

%3Cp%3EIn+good+economic+times+and+bad%2C+some+businesses+find+a+path+to+success+while+others+are+forced+to+board+up+their+windows+and+doors.+What%26rsquo%3Bs+the+difference+between+those+that+soar+and+those+that+flounder%3F%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EUltimately%2C+business+success+comes+down+to+how+well+the+people+who+work+for+that+business+perform.+Employee+performance%2C+good+or+bad%2C+usually+can+be+traced+to+leadership+%26ndash%3B+whether+company+leaders+want+to+admit+it+or+not.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EWhen+teams+break+down+and+employees+disengage%2C+leaders+and+managers+typically+don%26rsquo%3Bt+question+their+own+strategies.+Instead%2C+they+blame+the+people+assigned+to+carry+out+those+strategies.+If+they+are+feeling+charitable%2C+leaders+and+managers+say+those+people+were+bad+fits.+If+they+aren%26rsquo%3Bt+feeling+charitable%2C+they+call+them+whiners%2C+complainers%2C+or+failures.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EBut+in+about+80%25+of+cases%2C+I+believe+it%26rsquo%3Bs+not+that+the+people+are+the+wrong+people+for+the+job%2C+but+rather+that+leaders+aren%26rsquo%3Bt+prepared+to+handle+what+I+call+%26ldquo%3Bhuman+moments%26rdquo%3B+because+they+fail+to+understand+and+address+these+natural+human+needs.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3ELeaders+who+expect+their+teams+to+perform+at+the+highest+level+possible+must+take+into+account+the+following+six+facets+of+human+needs.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E1%29+Clarity.%3C%2Fstrong%3E+In+too+many+workplaces%2C+people+are+unsure+what%26rsquo%3Bs+expected+of+them%2C+or+how+their+job+fits+into+a+larger+plan.+People+on+teams+sorely+need+clarity%2C+or+they%26rsquo%3Bll+lapse+into+confusion.+Specifically%2C+team+members+must+understand+the+purpose+of+the+team+itself%2C+their+role+within+it%2C+the+team%26rsquo%3Bs+outcome+goals%2C+and+how+their+team+fits+within+the+larger+organization.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2%29+Connection.%3C%2Fstrong%3E+Human+connection+is+indispensable+to+healthy+teams+and+is+premised+on+connection+to+common+core+values%2C+physical+place%2C+and+a+larger+company+culture.+The+trick+is+in+creating+those+connections.+I+suggest+an+exercise+I+call+3-2-1.+People+in+a+group+are+asked+to+share+three+events+they%26rsquo%3Bve+experienced%2C+how+they+responded+to+them%2C+and+how+those+events+affected+them.+Then+they+share+two+childhood+stories+or+coming-of-age+adolescent+memories.+Finally%2C+they+share+one+of+their+biggest+fears.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E3%29+Contribution.%3C%2Fstrong%3E+Teams+within+an+organization+should+never+exceed+15+people%2C+and+leadership+teams+should+be+even+smaller.+The+larger+the+team%2C+the+less+inclined+individuals+are+to+contribute.+One+of+the+best+things+we+can+do+as+leaders+is+acknowledge+the+human+psyche%26rsquo%3Bs+need+to+contribute+and+to+reward+it.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E4%29+Challenge.%3C%2Fstrong%3E+Leaders+and+managers+often+are+hesitant+to+challenge+others%2C+not+wanting+to+push+people+or+make+them+uncomfortable.+But+when+we+withhold+opportunities+that+challenge+people%2C+we+ultimately+deny+others+an+important+human+need.+The+trick+is+to+make+sure+the+challenges+are+productive.+They+should+be+difficult%2C+but+not+so+overwhelming+that+people+withdraw+if+they+fall+short.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E5%29+Consideration.%3C%2Fstrong%3E+Everyone+feels+the+need+to+be+recognized+and+valued.+Unfortunately%2C+leaders+and+managers+often+spend+so+much+time+on+toxic+or+poor-performing+people+that+they+neglect+everyone+else.+You+can%26rsquo%3Bt+obtain+and+retain+top+talent+if+you+don%26rsquo%3Bt+show+people+respect+and+consideration+at+every+stage+of+the+journey.+They+must+be+recognized+for+good+work%2C+thought+about+for+promotions%2C+and+reminded+of+how+critical+they+are+to+the+organization.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E6%29+Confidence.%3C%2Fstrong%3E+Confidence+is+fragile+and+can+be+easily+shaken%2C+which+is+why+it%26rsquo%3Bs+critical+for+leaders+to+instill+confidence+in+their+teams.+People+fearful+about+failing+become+hesitant%2C+avoid+difficult+challenges%2C+and+are+less+productive.+But+if+they+have+confidence%2C+even+the+hard+stuff+doesn%26rsquo%3Bt+seem+so+daunting.+When+leaders%2C+managers%2C+or+facilitators+help+build+confidence+in+their+teams%2C+they+can+inspire+others+to+achieve+audacious%2C+improbable+goals.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EWhen+all+six+of+these+facets+are+fully+accounted+for+in+teams%2C+people+are+able+to+gel+with+one+another%2C+operate+harmoniously%2C+engage+in+healthy+disagreement%2C+and+achieve+important+objectives.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3E%3Cstrong%3EJeanet+Wade%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2C+author+of+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehumanteambook.com%2F%22+target%3D%22_blank%22+rel%3D%22noopener%22%3EThe+Human+Team%3A+So%2C+You+Created+a+Team+But+People+Showed+Up%21+%3C%2Fa%3E%28ForbesBooks%29%2C+is+a+Certified+EOS+Implementer+and+founder+of+the+consulting+firm+the+Business+Alchemist.+As+a+facilitator%2C+teacher%2C+and+coach%2C+she+helps+companies+implement+the+Entrepreneurial+Operating+System+%28EOS%29%2C+a+set+of+business+concepts%2C+principles%2C+and+tools+that+help+business+owners+and+executives+run+more+successful+businesses.%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E

Published: June 15th, 2021