Find out in 60 seconds.

(Hint: it has nothing to do with incentives)

Here’s what happens inside the brain:

When people feel judged, their brain releases cortisol (stress hormone).

Cortisol shuts motivation down.

If you want your team to stay motivated, swap pressure for psychological safety.

Give a go these three simple shifts:

• Start with effort.
• Ask “What’s working?” first.
• Celebrate micro-wins.
  

Small moments of safety create big shifts in behaviour.

Because when the brain feels safe, it performs.

 Watch the 60-sec video:

Video Transcript

Your team doesn’t need more incentives to feel motivated. They need psychological safety.

When people feel judged the brain releases cortisol, not dopamine.

To reignite motivation:

Number one: Recognize effort first

Praise effort. It taps into the intrinsic motivation of the brain.

Number two: Ask “what’s working?” before “what’s wrong?”

This ignites dopamine, the reward circuit of the brain, before diving into challenges.

And step number three is celebrate micro wins.

It keeps you moving forward. It’s not the destination. It’s the learning journey.

Safety builds trust, and trust builds performance.