Author: Jonathan W. Pritchard

Investigate low energy through the work before labeling employees disengaged or burned out.

Ask which past commitments employees expect you to break again. Verify that history and make a smaller, credible commitment before asking for enthusiasm ab...

After a disappointing engagement survey, choose a small set of work-level corrections with owners and review dates.

Build motivation through work people can understand, influence, and perform with credible support and rewards.

Make progress visible by connecting intermediate work to a meaningful outcome and showing what each completed step establishes.

Recognize good work by naming what the employee did and why it mattered. Choose a setting that respects the person’s preference, and give shared work...

Acknowledge suggestions, assign a decision owner, and explain the disposition of each material idea. Giving a clear reason for no is more credible than col...

Motivate a high performer who has stopped growing by designing an assignment that adds learning and usable authority. Remove or transfer existing work to c...

Trace each rewarded measure to the easiest way someone could improve it and the useful work that could be neglected. Revise the incentive with affected man...

Rewards can support useful work when their purpose and conditions fit the task, but their effects are not universal.