Leaders - This Single Principle Drives all Human Behavior

People respond to incentives.

There, that’s it. In a nutshell. So if you are busy, consider that the super executive summary.

Why is it so important to constantly remind ourselves of this principle? Because we all easily fall into the trap of being frustrated at the behavior of our teams, our customers, and our partners - focusing on the “what” (their actions) instead of the “why” (what’s incentivizing or driving the behavior).

If you are confused as to why your team isn’t focused more on business development and prospecting, perhaps it’s because there is no measurable and rewardable incentive in their comp plan.

If you are frustrated that customers aren’t interested in additional services, perhaps it’s because the perceived value isn’t a strong enough incentive to deepen the relationship.

If you are procrastinating on preparing a business plan for a new concept, perhaps it’s because you don’t foresee yourself ever reaping any tangible incentives/rewards from your organization’s leadership.

TWO QUESTIONS TO ASK

Whenever you are trying to change or evolve behavior, you would do well to ask yourself the following two questions:

1. WHY are people acting the way they are (what is driving their behavior)? And,

2. HOW can I structure new incentives to change/drive the behavior to achieve goals?

If you ask yourself these simple questions, the why and the how, I think you will find the process enlightening. Don’t blame others for their behavior - instead look to what’s driving that behavior and how you can incentivize behavior in the desired direction.

Now if only I could only come up with an incentive for you to do so! 🤔 How about this - focusing on the why and the how will lead to a more positive and productive organization. 🤷‍♂️