Social Drives
Uncover the deeper motivations that drive behaviour and engagement.
The Social Drives lens surfaces the needs and motivations that influence how individuals behave and interact — often without conscious awareness. Based on the models of Abraham Maslow and Richard Barrett, this lens assesses what truly drives a person at a given moment: from basic safety needs to belonging, recognition, and ultimately purpose.
By revealing these deeper motivational patterns, the lens helps individuals and teams understand where energy is flowing, where it’s being blocked, and how behaviour is shaped by underlying needs — not just personality.
How This Lens Fits Into the Five Lens Framework
While the Enneagram maps how people behave, it doesn’t always explain why. The Social Drives lens answers that question by identifying the core motivators — or unmet needs — behind a person’s actions.
By integrating this lens into the Five Lens model, practitioners gain insight into the forces that push behaviour beneath the surface. It supports clearer communication, more empathetic leadership, and more aligned team dynamics by addressing what truly matters to individuals at a motivational level.
How It Supports Coaching & Organisational Development
Understanding what drives someone — and what they’re avoiding — is essential in both coaching and team development. This lens helps coaches uncover what energises or demotivates a client and provides a pathway for shifting behaviour by addressing unmet psychological needs.
In organisations, it’s a powerful tool for shaping culture, improving engagement, and understanding how different team members find meaning and motivation. It supports leadership development, onboarding, and values alignment initiatives by helping individuals reconnect with what gives their work purpose.
Explore the Other Lenses
The Enneagram
The Enneagram identifies nine core patterns in how people think, feel, and act. It’s more than a personality tool — it’s a behavioural map that lays the foundation for the transformative work we do through the Five Lens model.
Personal Mastery
Based on Peter Senge’s work, this lens measures emotional maturity and internal stability. It reflects how individuals manage beliefs, growth, and self-direction, offering insight into their current stage on the personal development journey.
Personal Mastery
Based on Peter Senge’s work, this lens measures emotional maturity and internal stability. It reflects how individuals manage beliefs, growth, and self-direction, offering insight into their current stage on the personal development journey.
Emotional Resilience
This lens evaluates how well individuals handle stress and adapt under pressure. It captures traits linked to flexibility, emotional regulation, and confidence in taking action — essential for maintaining effectiveness in challenging situations.
Energy Centres
This lens maps the use of head (thinking), heart (feeling), and gut (intuition) in decision-making. It shows which centres are dominant or underused, supporting more balanced, integrated ways of thinking and responding.
Energy Centres
This lens maps the use of head (thinking), heart (feeling), and gut (intuition) in decision-making. It shows which centres are dominant or underused, supporting more balanced, integrated ways of thinking and responding.