Most leaders get motivation wrong.
They throw money at the problem, instead of
considering what research shows:
Motivation runs much deeper than that.
🔖 Save this cheat sheet of what (actually)
motivates most people.
1. Autonomy
↳ Give your people room to make decisions
↳ Build trust through independence
↳ Watch ownership naturally grow
2. Purpose
↳ Link daily work to larger goals
↳ Show how tasks create impact
↳ Help work feel meaningful
3. Mastery
↳ Support continuous learning
↳ Provide growth opportunities
↳ Let skills develop naturally
But here’s what ties it all together:
A culture of real appreciation.
✅ Make recognition specific
↳ Tell them exactly what impressed you.
✅ Give real-time feedback
↳ Acknowledge effort when it happens.
✅ Make it personal
↳ Understand whether your team member
prefers public or private praise.
The practical steps matter too:
— Guide, don’t micromanage
— Listen more than you speak
— Provide needed resources
— Delegate meaningful work
— Make learning part of work
The truth is:
Motivation isn’t complicated.
It just requires consistent attention.
Your team wants to do good work.
Your job is creating the right conditions.
Kenrick Vaz 