Why Motivating People Doesn't Work…and What Does, Second Edition

Carrots and sticks are costing you your best people. Here's the leadership science that actually works.

Most leaders aren't bad at motivating people-they're just using a model that neuroscience has already disproven. Built on decades of research and field-tested with organizations including Microsoft, NASA, CVS, and Mattel, this book replaces outdated reward-and-punishment thinking with a practical, proven process called “optimal motivation.”

What you'll find inside:
• A clear explanation of why external rewards produce short-term compliance but kill long-term engagement
• The three core psychological needs-autonomy, relatedness, and competence-that drive meaningful and sustainable motivation
• A step-by-step framework leaders can apply immediately in real workplace situations
• Real client examples showing how the process works across industries and team sizes
• Practical language and coaching tools to help your people find genuine purpose in their roles

This book is for managers, HR professionals, and organizational leaders who are tired of chasing engagement scores and want a research-backed alternative that actually sticks. It is not a collection of motivational tactics; it is a fundamental shift in how leaders understand human drive.

If motivation on your team feels forced or fragile, this is where the change starts.

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword
• Introduction: Stop Beating Your People with Carrots
• 1. The Motivation Dilemma
• 2. What Motivates People: The Real Story
• 3. Shifting Out of Overdrive
• 4. If Motivating People Doesn’t Work . . . What Does?
• 5. Rethinking Leadership Now That Everything Else Has Changed
• 6. Leader, Heal Thyself
• 7. Are Your Beliefs Eroding People’s Optimal Motivation?
• 8. The Promise of Optimal Motivation
• Afterword
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Resources
• Acknowledgments
• Index
• About the Author

“Fowler (Master Your Motivation), a professor in executive leadership at the University of San Diego, considers ways to motivate others in this informative outing. Countering ‘carrot-and-stick' incentivizing techniques, Fowler argues that overreliance on external rewards such as bonuses undermines the ‘energy... [and] sense of positive well-being' that people need to achieve goals. These methods fail, she argues, because they take an oversimplified view of motivation. In her ‘Spectrum of Motivation' model, Fowler outlines optimal and suboptimal types, from external motivation (for example, an employee who's driven by a desire to show off status in a meeting-the equivalent of ‘motivational junk food') to integrated motivation (an employee who links their performance to an internal value, which is psychologically sustainable). To instill a sense of internal motivation in workers, Fowler suggests business leaders foster environments that encourage autonomy and feelings of professional competence, which can promote sustained effort. While this may prove challenging in hybrid business environments, the author suggests leaders allow work from home flexibility within reasonable limits and make a point of keeping open lines of communication with team members. Fowler bases her advice in thorough research, and her insights into the motivational challenges of 21st-century workplaces are especially salient. Leaders who want to amp up employee morale should take a look.” (May)
-Publishers Weekly

“We know motivating people doesn't work, but we've figured out what does. I've witnessed firsthand how Susan's work, captured in this book, teaches you how to create a space where your tribe members will flourish.”
-Garry Ridge, Chairman Emeritus, WD-40 Company

“You make a difference as a leader. What kind of difference will you make? If you put the ideas from this book into action, you will have a better chance of being a servant leader rather than a self-serving one.”
-Ken Blanchard, Amazon Hall of Fame author

“No one wants to be bored or disengaged. Fowler provides a groundbreaking approach for reframing traditional motivation into cutting-edge leadership.”
-Marshall Goldsmith, author of the New York Times and global bestseller The Earned Life

“Think of this book as Daniel Pink's Drive for trainers.”
-TD Magazine

“Richly rewarding book…a romp across the ins and outs of motivation.”
-People Management

“I encourage leaders to read this book-but with a warning. They may get more than they expect. I learned as much about my own motivation as I did about the motivation of those I lead.”
-M. Paula Daoust, PhD, Director, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas

“Susan's book is provocative and pragmatic at the same time. She has successfully tapped into a longing I have had as a leader; how can I help people do what I think they naturally want to do-grow, develop, and fulfill their potential? Susan's propositions are surefire and easy to put to action”
-Dr. Santrupt B Misra, CEO, Carbon Black Business and Director, Group H.R., Aditya Birla Group