Most managers are conditioned to spot errors. A more powerful strategy, inspired by Ken Blanchard, is to actively "catch people doing the right thing" and praise it. This builds an emotional bank account, reinforces desired behaviors, and improves culture far more effectively than constant correction.

Pandora's founder kept employees working for two years without pay by framing their work not as data entry, but as a magical, culture-shifting mission. Great leaders make everything bigger than it is, transforming jobs into purpose-driven crusades to sustain motivation.

Celebrating small, tracked achievements builds belief in your capabilities. This belief eventually shapes your identity (e.g., 'I am a person who works out'). Once an action is part of your identity, it becomes effortless and automatic, eliminating the need for constant motivation.

To build a loyal and effective team, leaders should constantly make "deposits"—helping employees advance, improve, and do their jobs. This builds goodwill, so when a leader needs to make a "withdrawal" by asking for something, the team is happy to oblige. This applies to customers, employees, and government stakeholders alike.

Instead of aiming for peak performance, establish a baseline habit you can stick to even on bad days—when you're tired, busy, or unmotivated. This builds a floor for consistency, which is more important than occasional heroic efforts. Progress comes from what you do when it's hard.

People naturally start their jobs motivated and wanting to succeed. A leader's primary role isn't to be a motivational speaker but to remove the environmental and managerial barriers that crush this intrinsic drive. The job is to hire motivated people and get out of their way.

To become a great speaker, Anthony Trucks recorded a 90-second video every night for 3.5 years. This consistent, low-stakes practice built skill and confidence when no one was watching. Mastery comes not from occasional grand efforts but from relentless daily reps that forge a new identity.

Use the GROW model (Goal, Reality, Options, Way Forward) to structure coaching conversations. This simple set of question categories helps leaders guide their team members to find their own solutions, fostering independence and critical thinking without the leader needing to provide the answer directly.

Culture isn't about values listed on a wall; it's the sum of daily, observable behaviors. To build a strong culture, leaders must define and enforce specific actions that embody the desired virtues, especially under stress. Abstract ideals are useless without concrete, enforced behaviors.