Hierarchy of Core S.O.C.I.A.L Needs Self-Assessment

S.O.C.I.A.L. Domains Self-Assessment Indicator

1Your Details

2Questionnaire

A self-assessment to identify your hierarchy

Our brain is a social organ, wired to keep us safe, connect us with others and help us thrive in our tribe. Everything we encounter is filtered through a single lens: is this a threat (bad/pain) or a reward (good/pleasure)? Because we naturally bias towards the negative, remember that scanning for danger kept our ancestors alive, it matters that we actively identify and meet our core social needs.

As humans, we each hold these needs in a unique hierarchy that shifts with our circumstances. When needs go unmet, the brain enters a threat state: we close down, self-protect, and find it harder to think clearly or make good decisions. When they are met, we open up, think creatively and engage with energy.

The six domains below capture these needs and this self-assessment will help you discover which are most active for you right now.

S.O.C.I.A.L - an acronym representing six domains of experience:

Safety — feeling physically and psychologically safe
Objectivity — a sense of fairness, equity and justice
Certainty — the need to predict the future
Importance — the need for recognition, value and status
Autonomy — the perception of choice or control
Love — the need to belong and connect

The 30-question self-assessment that follows will help you identify your own unique hierarchy across these six domains - the order in which they matter most to you right now.

A few things to keep in mind:

1. Before you begin, bring a specific situation clearly to mind - your current role, a particular relationship, your team, or a challenge you're navigating right now. Hold that context as you answer every statement. This is what makes your results meaningful rather than generic.

2. Rate how activated or present each need feels for you in the context you've chosen:

1 = this feels well met right now - it's not a high priority
6 = this feels most pressing or activated right now - it's top of mind

3. We know that ALL six needs are important. Your hierarchy reflects where you are right now - it is not a fixed personality profile and will shift as your circumstances change

4. Go with your gut. Your first instinct is usually the most accurate reflection of where you are right now.

Once you have completed the questionnaire, you will receive your scores and we will email you an overview of each domain and what your hierarchy means for you.

Your Details

Please complete the information below so we can email you a copy of your results and an overview of the domain descriptions once you have completed the questionnaire.

Name(Required)

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Click next to continue to the questionnaire

S.O.C.I.A.L Domains Self-Assessment Indicator

Rate how activated or present each need feels for you in the context you've chosen:

1 = this feels well met right now - it's not a high priority
6 = this feels most pressing or activated right now - it's top of mind

1. It’s important to me to be able to speak up when behaviours undermine trust in the team(Required)

2. Every individual at work should be given equal opportunity to develop professionally(Required)

3. I need to know what’s expected of me and have clarity in my role and responsibilities(Required)

4. Being acknowledged and credited for my contribution is important(Required)

5. Being empowered to make decisions is highly motivating for me(Required)

6. I enjoy opportunities to engage in informal conversations with my colleagues(Required)

7. I need to be able to share my opinion openly without fear of criticism or judgement(Required)

8. I expect decisions that affect me and my team to be made with transparency and fairness(Required)

9. It concerns me when change is announced without enough context or detail(Required)

10. Receiving specific praise for good work or extra effort is important(Required)

11. I get frustrated when layers of bureaucracy and authority slow things down(Required)

12. It’s important that my manager cares about me as a person and colleague(Required)

13. Being able to bring my whole self to work without fear of judgement matters deeply to me(Required)

14. It’s important for leaders to be fair, consistent and treat everyone equitably(Required)

15. I prefer working in situations where there are clear parameters and expectations(Required)

16. Job titles and role seniority matter to me as a signal of expertise and contribution(Required)

17. I find it difficult when my decisions are overruled without explanation(Required)

18. Social opportunities at work are an important aspect of bonding(Required)

19. Mistakes and failures should be treated as opportunities to learn and develop(Required)

20. I need to understand the reasoning behind decisions that affect me or my colleagues(Required)

21. I find it unsettling when changes are introduced at short notice(Required)

22. I feel valued when I am asked to give my opinion on work-related matters(Required)

23. Micromanagement significantly undermines my motivation and productivity(Required)

24. Colleagues advocating for and supporting one another is important to me(Required)

25. I feel strongly about being able to engage in honest, productive disagreement at work(Required)

26. The workplace should be an inclusive environment embracing difference and diversity in all areas(Required)

27. I work best when I have sufficient information before committing to a decision(Required)

28. I feel most motivated when my contributions are genuinely recognised and respected(Required)

29. It’s important to me to take charge of my work and set my own direction(Required)

30. Being part of a team that feels genuinely connected and cohesive matters deeply to me(Required)