Transform Your Culture: Start with a Primed to Perform Book Club

October 29, 2024
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Change is hard because our brains are wired to favor routine and stability. Neuroscience shows that the brain resists change, perceiving it as a threat, which triggers stress responses that hinder adaptability. Now, imagine leading or participating in a collective change—it’s even more challenging. So, should you give up? Of course not.

Two of the most effective ways to ignite cultural transformation toward high performance are by establishing a shared language and a common understanding. A Primed to Perform book club is a simple yet powerful way to achieve both.

Whether you've read Primed to Perform or are considering it, let's review the book's three key takeaways.

1. There are two types of performance, but most organizations only focus on one

Let’s rewind to 2010-2012, when Tesla was building only luxury cars. The company saw an opportunity to expand into the market for lower-cost cars with the Model 3. Tesla planned for mass production, publicly announcing that it would produce 5,000 cars per week by 2017 and 10,000 by 2018. They even bought two leading factory automation companies, calling it “the machine that builds the machine.” Investors were excited, assuming Tesla would deliver on this plan, which boosted its stock value.

However, in the next earnings call, Tesla fell far short of its ambitious goals, producing only 2,000 cars per week instead of the promised 10,000. So, what went wrong? How did they miss the mark by such a large margin?

Tesla misunderstood a key concept: there are two types of performance—tactical and adaptive.

Tactical performance is about how well we stick to the plan. In Tesla’s case, this meant relying on automation and processes to meet their production goals. Tactical performance focuses on strategy and following a set procedure or process and ensuring everyone adheres to it. Tesla excelled at this part but missed the importance of adaptive performance.

Adaptive performance is about how we respond when things don’t go according to plan. It’s the ability to course-correct when challenges arise or when better ways of doing things become apparent. Tesla didn’t account for the need to adapt, problem-solve, and learn from feedback during production that humans are best at. Elon Musk tweeted in April 2018 "Yes, excessive automation at Tesla was a mistake. To be precise, my mistake. Humans are underrated."

In adaptive performance, habit refers to a team’s ability to continuously adjust and improve the way they work. This includes team habits such as maintaining feedback loops, mentoring colleagues, and solving problems efficiently. Skill involves the ability to think on our toes, and adjust work based on experience and expertise, much like a cook eventually masters a recipe and starts experimenting. 

A successful organization balances both tactical and adaptive performance. It needs efficient strategy and process but also skilled teams with great habits that can adapt and solve problems in real-time.

2: Motivation is the driving force behind performance

So, how can you balance tactical and adaptive performance? And more importantly, what drives performance?

The answer is simple: motivation. Why we work determines how we work. When you understand the underlying motivations of your team, you can drive transformational change.

But what exactly do we mean by motivation? Well, in the process of writing Primed to Perform, we reviewed the entire existing literature on performance and motivation and discovered many contradictions. Some researchers found that it's all about economic incentives like compensation and perks. Others claimed mission to be key. Others were still adamant that it's all about hiring the right people. Some concluded that performance is inherently flukey and unpredictable.

The apparent contradictions disappeared when we ran them through the lens of tactical and adaptive performance. It turned out that there are six distinct motives, and they affect performance in different ways: while all of the motives can be used to boost tactical performance, there are only three motives that can be used to increase adaptive performance, while the other three motives actually harm adaptation. You'll learn more about all six motives in Chapter 1.

3: Don't blame the player, blame the game

Humans are hardwired to blame individuals first and systems second. Too often, when someone messes up at work or fails to achieve their goal, we think it's because they're lazy or incompetent. But have you ever switched teams and found yourself more motivated, and thus performed at a higher level? Or the reverse - maybe you moved from a gifted, inspiring manager to one who used shame and blame, resulting in worse performance on your part. You didn't change, your environment did.

Most organizations waste a lot of energy on "performance improvement plans" that miss the point. If teams or individuals are habitually under-performing, the root cause more likely lies with the system than the people.

Generally speaking, most people are competent and want to do good work. When pressure and misaligned incentives are peeled away and replaced with interesting problems to solve and the leeway and support to grow, most people can be high-performing.

Where to Start: A Primed to Perform Book Club

If you’re wondering, “How do I start this transformation?” the answer is two things.

  1. Create a common language around change.
  2. Help your team understand why change is important and how they can contribute to it.

A Primed to Perform book club is a great way to start accomplishing both. You can start it today with your leaders—either by scheduling dedicated meetings or weaving the discussions into your existing weekly check-ins. Get copies of Primed to Perform for your colleagues and use the discussion guide to facilitate conversations.

Need help getting started? Feel free to contact us. One of our consultants can join your book club as a guest or answer any questions you have along the way.

Once you have the book in hand, use the following discussion guide to lead an insightful, action-oriented book club.

Your transformation journey begins now!

Primed to Perform Discussion Guide

Chapter 1: The Motive Spectrum

There are six key reasons why people work: play, purpose, potential (direct motives), and emotional pressure, economic pressure, inertia (indirect motives). Direct motives, which are closely tied to the work itself, enhance performance, while indirect motives tend to hinder it. Understanding and managing this spectrum is crucial for driving high performance in both individuals and teams.

Direct Motives

Play is when you enjoy the work for its own sake. You're most likely to succeed in an activity when driven by play. This could be anything that makes you lose track of time, like solving puzzles, experimenting in the kitchen, or creating art. Many of us are fortunate enough to experience play in the workplace, where the joy comes from the work itself—not from external distractions. Unfortunately, some organizations misunderstand this. Play isn’t about office perks like ping-pong tables or kombucha taps. It’s the intrinsic satisfaction someone gets from the work, like analyzing data or delivering presentations, because they find those tasks enjoyable.

Purpose is when you believe in and value the immediate outcome of your work. A common misconception, especially in mission-driven organizations, is that the mission itself is enough to motivate everyone. While this may be true for some, purpose comes down to feeling that your own contribution makes a difference. If your colleagues don’t see the impact of their efforts, they may feel replaceable, which diminishes their sense of purpose.

Potential is when you value the second-order benefits of the work, such as how it aligns with your long-term goals. For example, you might not love every task in your job, but you believe the experience will help you advance your career or develop important skills. Or maybe you believe in the company's mission, and in the long run, the work you're doing helps achieve it. All of these are examples of potential.

Indirect Motives

Emotional pressure arises when you feel compelled to do something out of fear, guilt, or shame. These emotions can stem from your own beliefs about yourself or from external judgment. For instance, you might attend a social event not because you want to, but because you fear missing out or disappointing others.

Economic pressure occurs when you perform an activity purely to gain a reward or avoid a negative consequence. At work, this might mean completing a task out of fear of losing your job or because you're driven by the promise of a promotion or bonus.

Inertia happens when you do something simply because you’ve done it before. There’s no active thought or motivation behind the action—it’s just a continuation of previous behavior.

Intensity versus pressure

People often mix up intensity and pressure. Companies sometimes use pressure, like rewards or threats, to boost performance. However, high performance is most likely when intensity is high yet pressure is low. Think of a great basketball team. They perform best when motivated by love for the game (play), a desire to be a good teammate (purpose), and pride in their craft (potential), not pressured by how many total points they make. If they feel stressed or uninspired (driven by emotional and economic pressure and inertia), their performance drops. In the same way, in companies, when people are motivated mainly by pressure, they only focus on relieving that pressure rather than truly performing well.

Activity

Reflecting on the motive spectrum, consider the following questions (from page 18 of the book):

  • Where do you find play, purpose, and potential in your daily activities?
  • When have you made a decision because of emotional pressure, economic pressure, or inertia?
  • What motivates your colleagues at work?
  • Do you tend to motivate others through play, purpose, and potential, or do you rely on emotional and economic pressure?

Learn More

Chapter 2: The Total Motivation Factor

Total Motivation (tomo) is a measure of the balance between direct and indirect motives within a team or organization. Cultures that exhibit high tomo—where play, purpose, and potential are prioritized—tend to experience improved performance, especially when they need to be adaptive. While both direct and indirect motives can effectively accomplish tactical objectives, it’s the direct motives (play, purpose, and potential) that significantly enhance adaptive performance. Conversely, indirect motives (emotional pressure, economic pressure, and inertia) diminish it.

 

Leaders can leverage tomo as a tool to assess and enhance the motivation driving their teams. The farther a motive is from its natural source, the lower its impact on the performance tends to be. For example, play is twice as powerful as purpose, which is about three times more powerful than potential. On the flip side, inertia has a greater negative impact on tomo compared to economic and emotional pressures.

We’ve measured tomo of industry-leading organizations, and the results are telling. For instance, Southwest Airlines has successfully increased adaptive performance through its strong cultural emphasis on play and potential. Around 2013, their earlier strategy, called “POS” (Positively Outrageous Service), encouraged a sense of humor and minimized management layers between the CEO and frontline employees, enhancing potential. As a result, employees went above and beyond to fulfill the company’s purpose. One employee famously stated, “We’re a customer service company that happens to be an airline.”

Other companies, such as Apple Stores, Nordstrom, and Whole Foods, also reported higher tomo than their competitors at the time we did our reseach. Each of these organizations possesses a unique personality, values, beliefs, and traditions while catering to different customer bases.

The total motivation Factor provides insight into which companies may be lagging behind their peers and allows us to assess whether their culture fosters tomo among colleagues across all levels and locations. More importantly, it enables us to track changes over time. Shifts in leadership philosophies can either hinder or enhance tomo, and by monitoring these changes, we can gain a clearer understanding of how cultural shifts impact motivation within an organization.

Activity

Reflect on the following questions to gauge the total motivation in your organization:

  • What is the balance of direct and indirect motives in your organization?
  • How do you think your organization’s total motivation compares to that of competitors or others in the industry?
  • Which motive(s) would you focus on increasing or reducing in your organization, and why?
  • If you'd like, you can measure your team's motivation using the Health Check, a tool we built after writing Primed to Perform.

Learn More

Chapter 3: Rethinking Performance

While tactical performance is about sticking to a plan, adaptive performance is about being flexible and creative when things don't go as expected. Cultures that focus too much on tactical performance may get the job done in the short term, but they lose out on the ability to innovate, improve, and thrive over time. Tomo is essential for adaptive performance because it taps into the direct motives—play, purpose, and potential—which help individuals and teams embrace change and think creatively.

When an organization is driven mainly by tactical performance and pressure, side effects manifest, which we call the distraction effect, the cancellation effect, and the cobra effect. 

The Distraction Effect

In an experiment with MIT students (page 40), the economic pressure of earning money made them worse problem solvers. This illustrates the distraction effect—when external motivators like rewards or incentives shift attention away from intrinsic motivators, such as enjoyment or a sense of purpose in the activity. As a result, in organizations our colleagues may become more focused on the external rewards (like bonuses) and less engaged with the work itself, which can lower overall performance.

The distraction effect has many common names - stage fright, writer's block, "choking" (in sports). But they are all manifestations of the same thing - emotional or economic pressure causing an unnecessary slip-up.

The Cancellation Effect

In another study (page 42), toddlers who were naturally inclined to help a stranger helped significantly less when praised or rewarded for their actions. Their helpful instinct was overridden by the expectation of praise or a reward. This is known as the cancellation effect, where excessive reliance on rewards diminishes intrinsic motivation. Over time, performance can become mechanical—a “check-the-box” mindset—where in organizations, people only do the bare minimum required, losing the motivation to go beyond the task.

The Cobra Effect

A historical example of poorly designed incentives is the cobra effect (page 45), which occurred in the 1800s in Delhi, under British rule. The city had a cobra infestation, and to control it, the British governors offered a bounty for each dead cobra. Initially, the program seemed successful as people started bringing in dead cobras. However, it was later discovered that locals were farming cobras just to kill them for the bounty. When the bounty program was canceled, people released the cobras, worsening the infestation. The cobra effect highlights the unintended negative consequences that arise from poorly aligned incentive systems. In a high-tomo culture, misaligned incentives can encourage behaviors that conflict with the organization's true goals, leading to maladaptive performance and counterproductive outcomes.

 

By examining these effects, we can better understand how motivation directly influences performance and why balancing tactical and adaptive performance is essential. High tomo organizations create environments where people are not just motivated to complete tasks but are also inspired to think creatively, innovate, and embrace change when needed.

Activity

Consider the stories of the MIT students, the toddlers, and the Indian entrepreneurs farming cobras, and use them to reflect on the following questions:

  • Are you surprised to learn that indirect motives can drive tactical performance but not adaptive? Before now, how did you view the connection between motivation and performance?
  • Have you ever experienced any of these effects in your personal or professional life? If so, when?
  • Can you think of examples in your organization where these effects have occurred?
  • What are some examples of these effects in your industry? (Here's a famous one from banking: Wells Fargo's cross-selling scandal)

Learn More

Chapter 4: The Yin and Yang of Performance

Performance has two dimensions: tactical (focused on following a plan) and adaptive (focused on how we diverge from the plan). These two forms of performance are interdependent but often in tension with each other. A great culture strikes a balance between execution and adaptability, ensuring both short-term and long-term success.

Activity

Take a look at the above 2x2 framework which describes how organizations balance tactical and adaptive performance. On the y-axis, you’ll find high vs. low tactical performance, and on the x-axis, there is high vs. low adaptive performance. Each box in the matrix illustrates what an organization in that quadrant might typically look like. (You can refer to the figure on page 55 for a refresher on tactical and adaptive performance.)

Now, reflect on your own organization and team. Use the framework to answer the following questions:

  • Where would you plot your organization on the 2x2 grid? Are you excelling in both tactical and adaptive performance, or is there a stronger focus on one over the other?
  • Where would you plot your team on the 2x2 grid? Does your team have the right balance of adaptive and tactical performance, or are there areas for improvement?
  • In what specific areas could your team or organization improve its tactical performance?
  • In what specific areas could your team or organization improve its adaptive performance?

Learn More

Chapter 5: The Blame Bias

Despite clear evidence showing the power of total motivation (tomo) and direct motives like play, purpose, and potential, why do indirect motives such as emotional pressure, economic pressure, and inertia often hold such sway? There are two primary reasons:

  1. Short-term results: Indirect motives can lead to narrow, short-term boosts in tactical performance, which are easier to measure and see immediately.
  2. Blame bias: We tend to blame individuals rather than address the broader context, which makes us more inclined to rely on indirect motives.

Why We Fall into the Blame Trap

Blame bias occurs when we overlook context and focus solely on individual shortcomings. This mindset can trap organizations in a cycle of blame, where we keep trying to “fix” people rather than addressing deeper systemic issues. Shifting from blaming individuals to solving structural problems is essential for long-term improvement.

Studies Highlighting Blame Bias:

  • In a rigged Monopoly game, winners believed their strategy was the reason for their success—even though the game was stacked in their favor.
  • Research on accidents in mines and factories found that co-workers who didn’t know the victims were more likely to blame the individuals rather than the situation or unsafe conditions.
  • In another study, MBA students had a bias, believing that call center representatives would be driven primarily by indirect motives like pay and benefits, even though both groups valued direct motives more.

An Antidote to Blame Bias
One experiment in the military shows a promising solution: when blame is eliminated and expectations are set higher, leaders naturally use principles of total motivation. This shift increases performance, as leaders and teams focus on understanding and solving issues rather than assigning blame.

How to Reduce Blame Bias in Your Team

Use the following steps to de-blame and refocus your team on solving root causes:

  1. Remember: When you notice yourself blaming someone, pause and remind yourself to “assume positive intent.”
  2. Explain: Think of possible context-driven reasons behind the behavior.
  3. Ask: Bring your observation to your colleague and ask them. “Why?”
  4. Plan: Work together to identify the root cause and develop a plan to address it.

Activity

Consider these questions as you reflect on blame bias in your team or organization:

  • Have you noticed instances where blame was directed at individuals instead of addressing systemic issues? What was the result?
  • How can you help shift the team’s focus from blaming individuals to solving root causes?
  • What specific actions can we take to reduce the blame bias in our team’s culture?

Learn More

Chapter 6: Frozen or Fluid

Organizations can become "frozen" (rigid and resistant to change) or "fluid" (adaptable and open to new challenges). Teams with high total motivation (tomo) are more fluid—they respond to change, embrace problem-solving, and adapt readily to uncertainty. By fostering a culture of fluidity, organizations encourage creativity and resilience, while frozen cultures can be stifled by rigid processes and indirect motivations.

Every organization reaches critical junctures where it can either choose fluidity or drift into frozen rigidity. Often, leaders are unaware they've reached one of these “crossroads” and inadvertently choose the latter. Here are four key crossroads that determine an organization’s adaptability and culture-building strength.

The Four Culture Crossroads:

Crossroad 1 – The Foundation: Is the focus solely on building a product, or is it on building both a product and a strong culture?

Crossroad 2 – Scaling Up: As the organization scales, is the expectation that each new hire will naturally adopt the culture, or is there a concerted effort to hire and onboard true culture-builders?

Crossroad 3 – Institutionalizing: As the organization grows from 150 to 1,500 or even 15,000 employees, is it managed with bureaucracy, or is there a systematic approach to scaling a high-tomo culture?

Crossroad 4 – Renewal: When growth slows, is the default response to rely on indirect motivations to squeeze performance, or does the organization invest in adaptive performance and new areas of growth?

A growing organization typically gains new layers, each underscoring the importance of skilled leadership. New layers without development can lead to dysfunction, as inexperienced leaders may lack the skills to solve problems effectively at their level.

The Story of Medallia: A Model of Adaptability

Medallia, a high-growth tech company, embraced adaptive performance and high-tomo at each crossroad:

Crossroad 1 – The Foundation: Medallia’s founders prioritized culture as essential to their mission, creating an environment that encouraged experimentation and accepted mistakes. They recognized that a drive for perfection could lead to emotional pressure and hinder adaptability.

Crossroad 2 – Scaling Up: Medallia invested in dedicated culture leaders, onboarding practices, and recruitment strategies that focused on candidates’ motives from day one. They understood that why people work determines how they work.

Crossroad 3 – Institutionalizing: As Medallia expanded, they fostered a learning culture rather than a blame culture. They structured performance reviews to minimize indirect motives and developed a career ladder highlighting both tactical and cultural skills. Medallia’s leaders continually ask, “How do we strengthen our culture as we grow?”

Crossroad 4 – Renewal: Medallia hasn’t yet faced this juncture, often the most challenging for any organization. Remaining adaptable and committed to high-tomo practices will be essential to navigate future shifts.

Activity

Reflect on your organization’s journey through these crossroads with these questions:

  • Which of the four crossroads is your organization currently facing?
  • Where might your organization be at risk of taking a low-tomo approach as it navigates this crossroad?
  • Which strategies from Medallia’s approach could be most valuable for your organization to adopt, and why?

By identifying where your organization stands at each crossroad, you can begin shaping a proactive, fluid culture that fuels sustainable growth and adaptability.

Learn More

As you are embarking on your journey, try Factor.AI

If you're ready to embark on a journey toward a high-performing, high-tomo culture, try Factor.AI today. Factor.AI is like a digital chief of staff for every team, helping leaders and their colleagues construct strategy, develop skills, measure motivation, and build high-performing habits on a quarterly, weekly, and daily basis. Contact us and one of our performance experts will be in touch to help you create a thriving culture. 

Originally published at:

Nermin Soyalp

Nermin Soyalp is an organizational psychologist with extensive experience in HR, leadership development, curriculum design, and coaching. Previously, she was the head of HR and Operations for a global software company. Later, for over a decade, she designed and implemented leadership development programs and has done organizational consulting for nonprofit and for-profit companies. She is an expert and a published author in conflict transformation. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Nermin can be seen paddle boarding with her dog Sansa and exploring arts and music with her daughter Sofia and husband Juan. In her past life, she was a competitive tennis player.

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Will Corbett

Will is Vega Factor's Head of Growth as well as the leader of Vega's Education practice, working with districts around the country to address inequities and infuse learning with play. With nearly a decade of experience in performance coaching, Will specializes in helping team leaders, directors, and executives unlock problem solving and inclusive collaboration. In addition to the Education space, he has coached hard-charging leaders in nonprofits, hospitals, healthtech, finance, real estate, and more. Outside of work, Will performs in New York's underground hip hop scene and builds user-facing products to solve common human challenges (e.g., how to build motivation and follow-through for exercise).

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