In my years of working with diverse teams across industries, one challenge consistently surfaces – motivating people effectively and sustainably. We often think of motivation as this big, abstract concept that needs grand speeches, financial bonuses, or viral quotes on a wall. But what I’ve found is something different. Motivation is often built quietly, consistently, and personally. It is nurtured more than it is injected.
In this post, I’ll walk you through four strategies that have helped me build motivation within teams. These strategies are rooted in psychological insight, real-world application, and a belief that motivation is not just about doing more but about doing it meaningfully.
Let’s explore these four strategies together.
1. Catch People Doing the Right Things
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Ken Blanchard’s timeless advice in One Minute Manager – “catch people doing the right things” – has had a profound effect on how I lead. Yet, I’ve seen many environments where this principle is completely overlooked. Managers often notice mistakes much faster than they notice progress. People get reprimanded when something goes wrong, but when they are quietly doing everything right, it slips under the radar.
I recall a colleague who always stayed late to finish projects. No one ever asked her to. When I finally mentioned how much I appreciated her consistency and care, she was genuinely surprised. Her face lit up not because of the words, but because someone had noticed.
The more we recognize the good, the more we reinforce it. And it does not have to be grand. A quick email, a thank-you during a meeting, or a sincere compliment in passing goes a long way.
Try this today: Call someone who has quietly made your life easier and thank them. Just that.
2. Understand the “Big Why”
I once asked a team member why he enjoyed a repetitive data-entry task he was assigned. His answer surprised me. He said, “Because this frees up our sales team to focus on closing deals, and that’s how we hit targets.”
He had found meaning in the mundane because he saw the bigger picture.
Simon Sinek, in his book Start With Why, champions this principle. When people understand the purpose behind their work, it moves them. It aligns their values with their effort. It becomes more than a job.
During a leadership session, we asked team members to write their personal “why” and link it to the work they do. The results were beautiful. People spoke of helping families, building community, or simply wanting to leave things better than they found them.
In your team, ask: Why does this work matter to you? You might be surprised by the answers.
Also Read: You might enjoy this blog on intrinsic motivation and work
3. Appeal to Intrinsic Motivation
External rewards like bonuses and promotions have their place, but they only go so far. What really fuels long-term engagement is intrinsic motivation – the drive that comes from within.
Daniel Pink’s Drive identifies autonomy, mastery, and purpose as the key motivators in today’s knowledge-driven world. I’ve seen it in action. When I gave a team the freedom to redesign our onboarding experience, they worked harder than ever. No incentives, no deadlines, just a shared purpose and the freedom to execute. They owned it because they believed in it.
I’ve since used this in other contexts too. Let people choose how they want to approach their work, within clear boundaries. Let them try and fail safely. Let them suggest improvements and then run with them.
What you can do: Ask your team what part of their role they’d like more freedom in. You may unlock hidden creativity.
Related Reading: motivational strategies and workplace learning
4. Create Conditions for Flow
The concept of “flow” comes from psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who described it as the mental state in which a person is fully immersed in a task, energized, and focused. Time seems to disappear. Joy and productivity converge.
I’ve experienced flow while designing a new workshop module, completely absorbed for hours, unaware of the clock. I’ve also helped others achieve flow by matching tasks to people’s skill levels and interests.
The key is to hit that sweet spot, not too easy that it becomes boring, not too hard that it causes anxiety. Just enough of a challenge to keep it exciting.
To cultivate flow in a team:
- Assign tasks based on strength
- Increase complexity gradually
- Set clear goals, but allow flexible execution
- Minimize unnecessary interruptions
People don’t burn out because they are working too hard. They burn out because the work is either meaningless or misaligned.
Bringing It All Together
Motivation is not something you switch on once a quarter. It’s a culture you build every day through small, meaningful actions. It’s about showing people that their work matters, that they matter, and that they are part of something bigger.
Whether you are leading a team or motivating yourself, these four strategies can guide your approach:
- Catch the good
- Connect to purpose
- Fuel intrinsic motivation
- Enable flow
None of this requires a huge budget. It requires attention, curiosity, and care.
In our work at FocusU, we’ve seen that a highly motivated team is not one that is pushed the hardest. It is one that feels supported, seen, and trusted. That’s when people go the extra mile not because they have to, but because they want to.
If this approach resonates with you, I encourage you to reflect on how you’ve been engaging with your team lately. Do you know their “why”? Are you giving them room to grow, experiment, and feel valued?
And if you are exploring ideas to bring these practices alive through a structured experience, you might enjoy our workshops designed around intrinsic motivation and team alignment.
