90. How to Deeply Understand Clients’ Behaviour with the 6 Human Needs

Welcome back to the Business Advisor podcast— this week we’re diving into a game-changer for advisors: understanding client behaviour through the lens of the six human needs. This is part four of our soft skills series, and it’s all about going beneath the surface to uncover what really drives your clients.

I share how recognising these core needs—certainty, variety, significance, connection, growth, and contribution—can transform the way you lead conversations and build trust.  I walk through each need, explain how they shape behaviour, and offer practical questions you can use to uncover them in your conversations.

You’ll learn how to spot signs that a client’s needs are unmet and how to adjust your approach to support them more effectively. It’s not about meeting every need perfectly—it’s about awareness and emotional intelligence. 

Key Takeaways:

1. Understanding the six human needs allows advisors to see beyond surface-level behaviour and connect with what truly motivates clients.

 “When you understand what truly drives people beneath the surface, you can work with their real motivations, not just the goals that they say out loud.” – Amanda C. Watts

2. Clients resist change when their core needs aren’t met—not because they’re difficult, but because they feel unsafe or misunderstood.

“If a client has a very high need for certainty, they might resist new ideas simply because they feel unsafe, not because they’re actually being difficult.” – Amanda C. Watts

3. Asking targeted questions helps uncover which needs are most important to each client.

“For significance, you could say, “What kind of impact do you want to be known for?’ These questions help uncover their deeper drivers.” – Amanda C. Watts

4. Recognising unmet needs early prevents breakdowns in communication and strengthens trust.

 “What shapes their behaviour, their decisions and even their resistance… You can step back and ask, which need isn’t being met right now?” – Amanda C. Watts

5. Advisors don’t have to meet every need perfectly—but awareness allows them to guide clients more thoughtfully and effectively.

“Your role as an advisor isn’t to meet every need perfectly… but being aware of what is happening underneath the surface, you can guide conversations more thoughtfully.” – Amanda C. Watts