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In a well-balanced change effort, rewards come third. Influencers first ensure that vital behaviors connect to intrinsic satisfaction. Next, they line up social support.

…rewarding people for engaging in an activity that is already satisfying may work against you.

Don’t wait until people achieve phenomenal results. Instead, reward small improvement in behavior.

…if you reward the actual steps people follow, eventually results take care of themselves.

When behaviors are out of whack, look closely at your rewards. Who knows? Your own incentive system may be causing the problem.

…rewards for improved performance work better than punishment of mistakes.

…our brains are not designed to reward generosity as reliably as they punish meanness.

…boredom can motivate us by signaling that a more rewarding activity might exist.

Leaders’ actions and ability to provide or withhold rewards communicate their preferences, which then become the preoccupation of the organization’s workforce.

…don’t go in blinded by the money. Most of the time, startups are a comparatively poorly rewarded labor of passion.