How to Be a Motivated Leader — and Inspire Motivation in Others

 “Before you can motivate others, you must first master the art of motivating yourself.” — John Adair

Motivation drives performance. It shapes energy, focus, and momentum in every business.
Yet for most leaders, maintaining motivation — both personally and across the team — is one of the toughest ongoing challenges.

According to John Adair’s Fifty-Fifty Rule, 50% of motivation comes from within a person, and 50% comes from their environment — especially the leadership they experience there.

That means you can’t control everything, but you can absolutely influence half of the equation — the half that matters most.

Here’s how.

Step 1: Motivate Yourself First

You can’t pour from an empty cup.

Before you expect energy and enthusiasm from others, you need to cultivate it within yourself.
Ask: Am I still genuinely inspired by my own goals and purpose?

Here are four simple but powerful ways to recharge your inner drive.

1. Find a Mentor

Even leaders need leaders. Surround yourself with people who challenge and encourage you. A good mentor keeps you accountable and reignites perspective when things get tough.

2. Maintain Balance

Delegate. Protect your time.
Leadership is a marathon — not a sprint. Make time for activities that restore you: exercise, reading, creative hobbies, family time, or reflection.

3. Set Inspiring Goals

Direction creates motivation.
Set ambitious but achievable goals (or OKRs) and connect them to your why. When you can see meaningful progress, motivation follows naturally.

4. Reward Yourself

Celebrate progress — not just outcomes. Recognize your effort, not just the win. Leaders who acknowledge their own growth model that same behavior for their teams.

Step 2: Motivate Others

Once you’re leading from a place of self-motivation, you can focus on inspiring your people.
Motivated teams are engaged teams — and engagement drives performance, retention, and customer satisfaction.

Here’s how to spark that energy in your workplace.

1. Get to Know Your People

When was the last time you had a meaningful one-on-one conversation with each team member?

Learn what drives them, what they value, and how they like to be recognized.
Some thrive on public praise. Others prefer private acknowledgment.

Authenticity and compassion go a long way — and they can’t be faked.

2. Set Realistic but Challenging Goals

People crave purpose and progress.

As Lou Holtz once said:

“If you’re bored with life, you don’t have enough goals.”

Set targets that stretch your team without overwhelming them.
Invite them into the goal-setting process — when people co-own goals, they own the results.

3. Share Progress and Celebrate Wins

Progress is the ultimate motivator.
Even small milestones give teams energy and confidence.

This is known as The Progress Principle:

“Of all the things that boost emotions and motivation, the single most important is making progress in meaningful work.” — Amabile & Kramer

Regularly highlight what’s working — not just what needs fixing.

4. Create a Motivating Workplace Culture

Culture is the invisible current that either lifts people up or drags them down.

Frederick Herzberg’s “Hygiene Factors” remind us that people are motivated not just by pay, but by purpose, fairness, growth, and autonomy.

Ask yourself:

• Do my people feel trusted?
• Do they see a future here?
• Are we removing obstacles to their success?

5. Provide Intrinsic and Extrinsic Rewards

Money matters — but it’s not everything.

In Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, Daniel Pink identifies three intrinsic motivators that drive people far beyond pay:

• Autonomy — The freedom to choose how they work.
• Mastery — The opportunity to get better at something that matters.
• Purpose — The feeling their work contributes to something larger.

Balance these with fair, transparent extrinsic rewards (bonuses, recognition, career opportunities). Together, they create lasting motivation.

Final Thought: Motivation Is Contagious

The most motivated leaders don’t rely on charisma or slogans — they lead by example.

They know their why, stay energized, and help others find meaning in their work.
Motivation isn’t something you push onto people; it’s something you ignite within them.

So start with yourself — and watch your team follow.

Want help building a motivated, high-performance leadership culture?

Contact me at tedb@strategyandexecution.com.au to schedule a free 30-minute discovery meeting.

Provide Intrinsic and Extrinsic Rewards

Daniel Pink explains in his book, “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us,” that there is more than just salary increases and bonuses to motivate people. (Although, that is nice too) He describes the three elements of true motivation—autonomy, mastery, and purpose. 

When providing extrinsic rewards – ie a bonus or salary increase – it’s important to make sure it is fair. As a general principle, financial rewards should match the relative value of contribution, according to the market assessment for any particular kind of work. If the pay increase is too low it can be demoralizing. Employee behavior should also be recognized and included when considering raises, bonuses and/or promotions and employees should feel this connection between the two. 

Intrinsic rewards, those that focus on providing autonomy, mastery, and purpose can include opportunities for professional development and growth. Supporting your team members to accomplish their goals, providing recognition, giving them more freedom in the way they work and allowing them to/encouraging them to continue learning.

Remember, to become an efficient leader, you must be self-motivated. Know your identity, your needs and have a strong urge to achieve your goals. Once you are self-motivated, you can motivate others to achieve their goals and the goals of the organisation.

TED BONEL, SCALING UP PRACTITIONER – STRATEGY & EXECUTION BUSINESS ADVISORS

Are you looking to scale your business and execute strategy with clarity and impact? I help CEOs and founders turn big ideas into real-world results, guiding small to mid-market companies through tailored strategic insights that drive growth.

My expertise lies in simplifying complexity – bridging high-level strategic frameworks with the practical realities of running a business. Unlike many consultants who focus solely on theory or execution, I specialise in both—translating strategy into actionable, transformative steps that deliver lasting results.

Want help building a motivated, high-performance leadership culture?

Contact me at tedb@strategyandexecution.com.au to schedule a free 30-minute discovery meeting.

ABOUT STRATEGY & EXECUTION

For over 20 years, Strategy & Execution has supported leaders and organisations in developing and executing winning strategies. We provide expert facilitation, executive education, and hands-on consulting to help businesses refine their strategic direction and implement it effectively.

Using proven methodologies like Scaling Up, E-Myth Mastery, Outthinker, and more, we challenge conventional thinking and equip organisations with the tools to accelerate growth. Our approach is dynamic—combining deep business experience with practical execution. We don’t just advise; we roll up our sleeves and work alongside you to make strategy happen.

If you’re preparing for a strategy development or execution challenge and are committed to creating real value, we’d love to hear from you. Learn more about our work or upcoming workshops