Using Positive Reinforcement to Transform an Organization

About a decade ago, I was overseeing a contract manufacturing site as a part of my additional responsibilities. Together with a team of two, I took over the site, which had a history of underperforming. The site was struggling to deliver production volumes, and had failed quality audits miserably, leading to lots of scrutiny from the wider organization, pressure from leadership, and frustration for everyone involved.

Our initial hypothesis was that we needed to invest in training people and building their capabilities, while putting the right processes in place. For the first three to four months, we did just that, believing that this would translate to improved output and higher quality production. However, while there was some improvement, it wasn’t significant enough to the effort we were putting in. We were left even more frustrated. What was happening? Why aren’t we seeing results? Why aren’t people doing simple things right?

Upon taking a step back, I realized that people – including leaders at the site – were disengaged. People weren’t taking pride in what they were doing. They didn’t feel connected to the organization’s larger purpose. They didn’t feel a sense of belonging. This, I realized, was the key issue that needed to be addressed. Now, as the site wasn’t part of my organization, I couldn’t make changes to HR policy or compensation. However, I could start small and make little changes on the ground to begin with, to make people feel acknowledged for their contributions.

Very deliberately, when my team and I were on the floor – which was often – we would observe people at work. If we found someone carrying out a simple step correctly, we would immediately offer them a genuine compliment. For instance, I once saw someone fix a machine breakdown by himself. I told him he was doing a great job, thanked him for his work, and told him that due to his timely support, production would be back up and running soon. In doing so, I also helped him connect his task with the bigger picture.

In just about a month of doing this, people were coming up to us to discuss how they were approaching their work – what they were trying, and what was working. The culture was slowly but palpably transforming. We’d triggered the belief that if you did something right, you’d get acknowledged. Eventually, we formalized this into weekly and monthly Rewards & Recognition Programs, where everyone gathered to celebrate those who were delivering excellent work.

The result was a complete turnaround in the culture, one that I feel very good about. In just six months, production was on target, quality complaints decreased, and we scored an 80-90% improvement in the quality audit. So what are the lessons to be learnt from this transformation?

If you’re tasked with leading an organization through change, start with the Why. The What and the How usually tend to be quite straightforward. But focus on your Why. Reflect on your purpose, your responsibilities.

The more time you spend diving deeper into this question, you’ll realize that your intrinsic motivation – to be recognized, to have your work be acknowledged and valued by those around you and the company itself – are mirrored in every single employee. Every individual wants to feel good about what they’re doing, to grow as a person. As a leader, your job is to make sure that your people are able to fulfill their intrinsic motivations. If your people are growing, happy, and progressing, your organization will naturally follow suit.

Show your people through words and actions that you are invested in their growth and success, that you’re thinking about them but also the greater good of the company. This way, you’ll build trust not only with the people you lead, but also with the organization. With these fundamentals in place, you’ll be able to adapt to bigger changes that your organization might face.

In the book ‘Stomp the Elephant in the Office’, Steven W. Vannoy and Craig W. Ross share three conditions required to bring about change and cultural transformation. You’ll find that these principles are reflected in the case study we started this Power Read with. 

1 Participants in the Change Process Should Feel Good

Unless people feel good about what they’re doing, they won’t be receptive to the change you want to bring about. If your people are happy and feel acknowledged for the work they do, this is the cornerstone to bring about major change. 

2 Include Participants’ Ideas

The change process should include participants’ ideas and approaches. Listen to people’s ideas on what key things they believe should happen, and how the transformation should take place. If you incorporate those ideas, you’ll already have your organization leading the change for you.

3 Take Participants’ Motivations Into Account 

Have a clear answer to the question "What's in it for me?” for everyone involved in change or transformation. If people’s intrinsic motivations can be meaningfully linked with the change, then they’ll be your champion. If the link isn’t clear, they’ll be disengaged, much like the employees of the manufacturing site before we came in. They simply won’t have skin in the game. 

Transformation of any kind begins with people – a motivated, highly engaged workforce is one that’s adaptable and open to change. Positive reinforcement is a powerful way to speak directly to your people’s motivations, get them excited about the work they’re doing, and feel valued in the organization. By reinforcing good work in an authentic way, you’re building a culture of trust in your teams, and together with the three principles for accelerated change, you’ll be well on your way to successfully transforming the organization.