Understanding the 6 Human Needs To Become a Better Technical Leader

I used to think my intelligence and my skills alone would make me a great leader. I figured if I was smart enough, I'd get results. I don't believe that anymore. Leading with just intelligence doesn't always guarantee anything.

Most of us, as leaders, fail when we trust our intelligence alone to solve problems. We forget we're working with people. And those people, just like me, have needs. The tech world moves fast, and the brightest minds have to adapt or get left behind.

To adapt, I have to understand people's needs, and my own. When I connect with someone on an emotional level, it's easier to work toward a common goal. So, to really get results as a technical leader, I need to grasp how the six human needs actually work.

An Overview of Tony Robbins’ 6 Human Needs and How They Influence Us at Work

Tony Robbins’ work on the six human needs states that we behave a certain way in different situations because of core needs. They are developed from childhood and shaped further by our life events. Understanding these needs will help us work on ourselves to become more efficient at work.

Need for Certainty

Our need for certainty revolves around finding pleasure and avoiding pain. Workers need to feel safe and secure at their jobs. This is why we do all that we can to make things familiar and relatively predictable so that we gain a sense of stability.

Need for Variety

Our need for variety alongside our need for certainty is one great paradox of human need. We want to feel secure about our jobs, but we get bored when things get too predictable. However, the way we crave new stimuli every now and then ensures we gain considerable experience to be more adept at what we do.

Need for Significance

The need for significance drives us to feel unique and important, so we push ourselves to make the most of our capabilities. We find motivation in the praise and recognition we receive from coworkers. When people take notice of our accomplishments, it brings us validation and strengthens our drive to do more.

Need for Connection

Our need for connection makes us relate well with others to establish closeness. This is why we seek camaraderie at work and form groups. Employees feel satisfied with a strong sense of team affiliation. When we feel that we belong, it is easier to have shared goals.

Need for Growth

Our need for growth compels us to expand our capabilities. We have an innate tendency to be better and reach our full potential. We are inclined to test the limits of what we can do by challenging ourselves at work. We are more productive when we know we are better today than we were yesterday.

The Need for Contribution

Our need for contribution is largely based on our longing to be part of a community. When we feel that we are an integral part of a group because of the value we add to it, it gives us a sense of purpose. When we put others before ourselves, it improves our capacity for empathy and compassion.

How Our Identity Ties to the 6 Human Needs

Our identity ties to our needs. Our behaviors are positively reinforced depending on how our needs are met. We also compensate for unmet needs through unhealthy behaviors. We make decisions at work based on what we value the most.

How we value stability or recognition at work, for example, shapes who we are through our behavior. Patterns of behavior in turn create our identity, which people see through their lens, and to which we strongly associate ourselves.

How the 6 Human Needs Relate to Maslow’s Theory

Abraham Maslow first introduced the concept of human needs. The model shows how we prioritize physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization needs, moving from the bottom of the pyramid all the way to the top.

There are parallels between Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Tony Robbins’ 6 Human Needs. Both theories show how we can achieve our goals in life by focusing on our needs.

We cannot give others certainty when we do not feel safe. We cannot feel close to people when we are uncomfortable with ourselves. We cannot become great leaders at work when we have nothing to give. That’s why we must meet our needs first before we can give to others.

How to Create Emotionally Intelligent Workers Through the 6 Human Needs

The success of a well-coordinated organization can be attributed to workers who have a full understanding of human needs. To thrive in such a competitive environment, employees in the field of technology must be emotionally intelligent apart from being knowledgeable about their jobs. Every company is essentially composed of people who are subject to their own weaknesses when certain needs are not met.

In our Secure Methodology, the goal is to create emotionally intelligent leaders with strong people skills. These leaders must lead with their hearts, not their minds. They must set a good example for the workers by demonstrating a thorough understanding of the human psyche. Leaders must encourage their workers to do the same.

The Seven Steps of the Secure Methodology:

1. Awareness: A technical leader must have a full grasp of who they are before they can begin to understand others.
2. Mindset: A technical leader must have a growth mindset and always be open to change.
3. Acknowledgment: A technical leader must recognize that their workers are enough by making them feel appreciated.
4. Communication: A technical leader must consider that the right words, tone, and body language all influence effective communication.
5. Monotasking: A technical leader must allow workers to focus on a single task first to achieve mastery and stability before asking them to work on another.
6. Empathy: A technical leader must foster strong connections with others by understanding where they’re coming from.
7. Kaizen: A technical leader must encourage others to make progress through their contributions.

Practicals to Better Understand the 6 Human Needs

Knowing the six human needs by Tony Robbins will not guarantee leaders the instant ability to work well with others. It takes a proactive approach to develop a conducive environment for developing emotionally intelligent workers.

One good way to get started is by encouraging workers to take this quiz to discover their top human need; the “driving force” that influences their behaviors. There can be a focus group discussion afterward where workers are free to evaluate how their needs are being met at work. This exercise allows people to connect and better understand each other’s needs.

Wrapping It Up

An understanding of Tony Robbins’ six human needs is essential for today’s technical leaders. It is not enough for leaders to be smart and skilled. They must also know how to work well with others. Emotionally intelligent leaders can easily get ahead in such a competitive industry because they have the support of motivated workers whose needs are being met.

For technical leaders to be successful, they must remember these key takeaways:

• Before leaders can understand others’ needs, they must first understand their own.
• Leaders must learn how to empower workers in meeting their own needs.
• A leader’s team of workers thrive best when their needs are consistently met.
• To properly execute the Secure Methodology, the leader must have a full grasp of the 6 human needs.
• A leader must proactively improve their understanding of the six human needs and encourage workers to do the same.