What kind of behavior you reward? that determines how your team members behave. We don’t pay attention to these small things but they are so rooted in our evolution that they make a big impact. It’s simple. Monkey see monkey do.
If in your team a member who does a good job on paper gets rewarded, eventually everybody will start just doing good on paper, building pretty presentations with all the bells and whistles. if you reward only those who consistently succeed, people will stop taking risks and avoid innovation altogether.
If you reward short-term patchwork instead of long-term, solid solutions, that’s what your culture will become. Your culture is a reflection of what you reward and incentivize.
This behavior is tied to our survival instincts. As humans, we mimic and learn the most rewarded behavior in the group. This is how we adapt and fit into the team. People gravitate toward what is normalized, and rewards signal what is “normal.”
The Problem With Focusing Only on Outcomes
Rewarding outcomes without considering the process can be bad. Focusing solely on fast results might seem beneficial in the short term, but it often neglects the value of a well-defined process. A good process is maintainable, adaptable, and sets the foundation for sustainable success. Ignoring the process can lead to quick wins today but big problems tomorrow.
What gets rewarded becomes common. Over time, behaviors that fall outside the norm are seen as risks. This creates a bottleneck for innovation.
Building a Culture That Aligns With Your Goals
- If you want creativity, reward creative ideas.
- If you want innovation, give your team space to innovate.
- If you want long-term stability, reward solid architecture over quick patch fixes.
We encourage, What we tolerate. Choose what you reward carefully, because your culture will follow.