Certainty - brain chocolate.

Certainty is to the brain as chocolate is to Tracy & Tammy.

The brain is constantly seeking patterns and is trying to predict the future. It CRAVES certainty. A primary reward or threat for the brain, it causing people who experience an increase in the unknown to AVOID engagement. It causes a negative response in the orbital frontal cortex, we fixate on the threat.

Certainty is the second of five principles of brain-based engagement.  Read more in our previous blogs on SCARF: Overview, S-Status.

Here's an example. A local big box store recently went under massive renovations while still having part of the store operational.  There were tarps hiding what was being worked on, and the layout of the store gradually shifted.  Things were not as they usually were.  People were seen pushing their buggies with glazed expressions, not knowing where to look or where to go. Others couldn't help themselves and peeked behind the tarps, hoping to get more information about what was going on. While others, whose AVOID response was most activated, voluntarily stopped shopping at the store all together.

When you transfer this concept to a situation where an agency is doing a re-org or when someone is new on the job or just moved into a community, or implementing a new software system you can see that a great deal of attention is required to satisfy the huge need for information. It also explains a great deal of the negative behaviours we see during change. When people are AVOIDING due to a lack of certainty, expect some behaviours driven by fear, threat and/or feelings of loss.

So how about you?  In what kinds of situations or level of uncertainty do you begin to AVOID?

Can you arrive at an event to offer your help only to be told to "deal with the catering"?  For some people, questions like; how many people, who is in charge? what's on the menu? screams out.

Are you eager or hesitant when someone is talking and you're not sure if they are asking something of you?

How do you feel if you don't know what your employer's/client's expectations are of you?

Can you tolerate not knowing when you'll next get some chocolate? (just joking!)

What's your certainty threshold?

When dealing with others, remember that we all react differently.  Your threshold might be much more sensitive than another person's.  How do you support a situation if you want someone to be engaged and not running away with fear? Here are a few ideas;

• Clearly map out plans.  Even though things rarely follow a plan, having one appeases our brains craving. Dates and timelines are important in these plans.
• Communicate before, during and after change. 
• Break down complex and confusing tasks into bite sized pieces.
• Establish clear expectations for all involved.
• Regularly provide chocolate!