SCARF model(status / certainty / autonomy / relatedness / fairness)

A model for collaboration and influence based on social neuroscience

Do this first . .

http://www.scarfsolutions.com/selfassessment.aspx

The number one issue for your brain is

Minimise danger and maximise reward.

The brain constantly scans incoming information and asks . . .

Is it dangerous / bad ? (AVOID)

Is it safe / good ? (APPROACH)

This has been going on a long time . . .

Your brain is a very old design

Old to new• Reptilian brain • (400million years old)• Fight or flight centre

• Limbic brain • (250 million years old)• Hunger, thirst, sex, sleep, blood pressure, temperature

• Neocortex • (500,000 years old)• Self control, consciousness, awareness, language

The approach – avoid response is deep in your brain

• Modern implications of this are

• First impressions are important

• Decisions are made before we know it

• Fear reduces brain functioning

Connecting to the SCARF model

• Evidence suggests that the same parts of the brain are used for

• Approach Avoid decisions (survival)

• People interactions / experience (social)

• This means our social and work life is based n the idea of maximising rewards and minimising danger.

Connecting to the SCARF model

The SCARF model identifies common factors that activate a threat or reward response in social situations.

The self assessment quiz shows which of these you may be most affected by in your social interactions.

IMPLICATIONS IN WORKPLACE

SCARF MODEL THREAT (AVOID) REWARD (APPROACH)STATUS Giving advice, instructions, offering

feedbackBeating your ‘personal best’ / receiving positive feedback

CERTAINTY Not knowing what the boss expects / people acting in ‘unusual’ ways

Having clear objectives for projects / breaking work into small units

AUTONOMY Being micro managed Allowing people to organise own hours (glidetime), workload etc

RELATEDNESS Meeting new people / people from different cultures

Setting up mentoring or coaching at work / having a friend at work

FAIRNESS Lack of ground rules / expectations /etc Transparency / doing volunteer work

Empathy – or ‘how to make people like you’.• The empathy arc describes a conversational technique to quickly

connect to a new person.

• Based on and influenced by the SCARF model

Hello / Rapport

Stories

Emotions / Feelings

Meaning

Affirmation

Thanks / Goodbye

The empathy arc

How to do itEMPATHY ARC SCRIPT

HELLO “Hello / how are you “

STORIES “Tell me about a time when . . “

EMOTIONS “How did you feel about that / when that was happening . . ?”

MEANING “I guess that must have meant a lot to you . . ?

AFFIRMATION “That’s a really interesting story . . “

THANKS “thanks for sharing that with me . . .”

Connections Empathy Arc - SCARF

• The empathy arc technique can quickly

• Establish a high relatedness(R) feeling, • Gives status(S) to the speaker (all about them),• The highly structured conversation gives some certainty (C)• By asking questions and listening we transfer autonomy to the speaker(A)• Fairness can be increased by “I am going to ask a few questions - is that ok?”

• Use empathy arc to increase Approach response