Is your leadership training failing to ignite lasting change? You’re not alone. Many organizations invest heavily in developing their leaders only to see them fall back into old habits weeks later. The problem isn’t the quality of the training itself but a fundamental misunderstanding of what drives consistent high-performing leadership.
The missing piece is optimal motivation. This article will show how a solution-focused approach to motivation can redefine leadership development – strategically, psychologically and most importantly measurably.
Key Takeaways
Most leadership programs focus on teaching new skills and frameworks. While important, this approach often overlooks the internal engine that powers their application: motivation.
When leaders are not intrinsically motivated to change new behaviors don’t stick. Motivation directly impacts observable behavior in leadership, determining whether new actions are consistently adopted and sustained.
According to Gallup’s 2025 State of the Global Workplace report, manager engagement has dropped to 27%. This statistic shows a growing gap between what organizations ask of their leaders and what those leaders find meaningful.
Motivation varies across individuals and understanding these differences is key to improving leadership outcomes.
This is where the science of motivation comes in. For humans motivation is the driving force behind behaviour and performance, how we approach challenges and opportunities.
Self-Determination Theory, a concept highly relevant to the corporate world, tells us that true sustainable motivation comes from within. Understanding the source of motivation is key to effective leadership development as it helps tailor strategies that resonate with leaders’ core values.
It’s the difference between a leader who adopts a new coaching technique because it’s a company mandate (extrinsic motivation) and one who does so because they genuinely believe it will help their team grow (intrinsic motivation).
Leaders’ motivational beliefs play a big role in shaping their engagement and performance, how they respond to new initiatives. Recognising the underlying motives behind leaders’ actions is essential for designing interventions that create authentic and lasting change.
That’s where the magic happens, leading to greater retention, higher performance and a big return on your training investment.
Optimal motivation isn’t a flash of inspiration. It’s a sustained drive that comes from aligning a leader’s actions with their values and purpose. It’s built on three psychological needs:
When these psychological needs are met, need satisfaction leads to optimal motivation and better performance.
When leadership development programs are designed to meet these three elements, the results are transformational. Leaders experience not only higher engagement and performance but also more creativity as optimal motivation encourages innovative thinking and problem-solving.
Consider how this plays out across different leadership levels.
For a new manager, optimal motivation might come from gaining clarity on how their team’s work directly contributes to the organisation’s success. For a mid-tier leader, it might be an opportunity for personal growth and development without burnout.
For senior executives, it’s often about shifting from a mode of control to one of influence, empowering others to lead.
Each person experiences motivation differently, shaped by their own beliefs and self-regulation strategies. At every level, a combination of things such as goals, feedback and support- contribute to building and sustaining optimal motivation.
As Susan Fowler, author of the book “Why Motivating People Doesn’t Work … and What Does” says motivation isn’t an innate trait. Instead, motivation is a skill that can be developed by meeting three core psychological needs: choice, connection and competence.
In the modern organisation, employee engagement is the key to achieving these needs, how people approach their work and the results they deliver.
Leaders and managers are at the heart of this process. Their actions and attitudes set the tone for the whole workplace, whether employees feel empowered, valued and motivated to achieve their goals. Instead of focusing on results, effective leaders prioritise the needs of their people, creating a culture where engagement and productivity thrive.
As Susan Fowler says in her book “Master Your Motivation” the most successful leaders shift their focus from simply holding people accountable to nurturing autonomy, fostering connection and building competence.
To achieve optimal motivation, employees need to experience a genuine sense of autonomy in their daily tasks. This means giving people the freedom to make choices, take ownership of their work and contribute their unique skills.
Connection is equally important; employees need to feel a sense of belonging and purpose, know their work matters and they are part of something bigger.
Competence is essential; when employees believe they have the skills and support to succeed, their confidence and performance soar. In addition, competence builds belief and self-worth.
Leaders who understand these needs and work to meet them create a workplace where engagement and motivation go hand in hand.
Fowler mentions that “motivation is a skill that can be learned” and it’s up to leaders to provide the right environment, tools and support.
This means developing clear action plans, setting meaningful goals, offering regular feedback and recognising achievements. By focusing on people and their needs rather than just outcomes, managers can unlock higher levels of engagement, productivity and success.
In the end, employee engagement isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a strategic advantage. When leaders prioritise engagement, they create a workplace where employees are motivated, empowered and committed to achieving their best. The result is a more resilient, innovative and high-performing organisation ready to meet any challenge.
To create sustainable change, you must embed these principles into the very fabric of your leadership curriculum. This means a shift in how we design and facilitate training. Start by replacing traditional top-down goal setting with a more collaborative, values-aligned approach.
Give leaders a choice in the projects they take on and the skills they want to develop. This sense of autonomy is a powerful motivator. To ensure progress, break down leadership development into an action plan with manageable steps that keep projects moving forward and maintain motivation.
Feedback should also be reframed.
Instead of being solely a tool for assessment, it should be used to fuel progress and learning. When feedback is delivered constructively and with a focus on growth, it helps leaders build mastery and confidence.
Many leaders do not ask for feedback or even give feedback. In my opinion, feedback is a critical skill that leaders need to deploy so that their teams can execute better.
Effective execution of new skills is key to translating learning into real-world results.
This also requires a new mindset from corporate trainers and coaches. The focus must shift from simply delivering content to creating an environment of psychological safety where leaders feel empowered to experiment, take risks and learn from their mistakes.
Trainers should use a variety of motivational strategies tailored to different individuals and contexts to optimise engagement and performance.
Clear, impactful statements about the purpose and outcomes of leadership training reinforce core values and drive meaningful change.
I’ve seen this in action. We worked with a global logistics company and worked with the leaders and managers of the telesales team.
Instead of a one-size-fits-all training program, we created a framework that connected leadership development to business outcomes. We worked with the leaders and middle managers to create a shared language and a unified approach to leadership.
They also had to demonstrate the use of Optimal Motivation at work. They had to reflect and act on what their team members needed based on delivering more Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose at work.
By defining clear success metrics and structured leadership conversations we enabled them to drive their own initiatives. Effective conversation played a key role in leadership development, enabling leaders to build trust and understand the needs of their teams.
The results were impressive:
Asking the right question in these leadership conversations helped uncover underlying motivations and address resistance, which contributed to the program’s success.
This shows that when leaders are motivated by a clear purpose and given the autonomy to drive change, the impact on the whole organisation can be huge. When someone experiences real leadership and is truly heard, it can change their engagement and performance.
No one is immune to motivation traps – even the most experienced leaders can fall into them.
Be aware of these common traps:
Avoid these traps to foster motivation and engagement in all workplaces.
In today’s fast-changing world, leadership is more important than ever.
As you plan your leadership development strategy, I urge you to look beyond skills and frameworks. Focus on what truly drives your leaders from within.
By creating a leadership culture of Optimal Motivation, where leaders are intentional in developing autonomy, mastery and purpose, you will not only develop more effective leaders but you will also build a more resilient, engaged and successful organisation.
Motivation is not a “soft skill”; it is your most powerful strategic asset.
Subscribe to our newsletter for ongoing leadership and motivation insights.
Also read: Leadership and Teamwork Training Strategies Every Company Should Adopt
