The Power of Progress Leadership Model
Research from nearly 12,000 diary entries proves that feeling progress - even incremental,
Research from nearly 12,000 diary entries proves that feeling progress - even incremental, subjective progress - is the single most important driver of team motivation, engagement, and fulfillment. Yet only 5% of managers ranked it as the primary motivator. The key insight: how much you actually achieve is nearly irrelevant to motivation; if people FEEL like they are getting somewhere, they will keep going. Start with small wins to build momentum before pursuing big goals.
- Perceived forward movement is a more powerful motivator than actual achievement level.
- Leaders who remove obstacles and make progress visible unlock discretionary effort that incentives cannot buy.
- Small wins at the start of a difficult project build the momentum that carries teams through later hard stretches.
- People need to feel they are getting somewhere before they will invest deeply in where they are going.
- The most overlooked lever in management is manufacturing the feeling of progress, not just measuring outcomes.
- Start with small, achievable winsWhen joining or leading a struggling team, do NOT start with ambitious goals. Break everything down into the smallest possible improvements that can be achieved quickly. Sir David Brailsford asked: 'Could we change our diet slightly? Could we do a bit more in the gym? Could we alter our attitude?' And everyone said 'Yep, we could do that.'Pro tipThe feeling of being 'on the move' matters more than how far you have actually moved. Small wins create the narrative that the team is progressing, which generates energy for the next win.
- Make progress visible and celebratedCreate systems that make even tiny progress visible to the team. Track improvements, communicate wins, and celebrate movement. Researcher Teresa Amabile found that 'on days when workers have the sense they are making headway, their emotions are most positive and their drive to succeed is at its peak.'WarningDo not talk about podiums, finish lines, or trophies. Brailsford never discussed medals with his cycling team. Focus only on the smallest things you can do TODAY to make progress.
- Smallify tasks to overcome procrastinationWhen the team faces a daunting challenge, break it into micro-goals that feel achievable. Organizational theorist Karl Weick showed that 'the massive scale on which social problems are conceived often stops innovation and action.' People cannot solve problems they think are unsolvable. Scale them down until they feel doable.Pro tipNir Eyal asserts that the sole reason people procrastinate is to avoid psychological discomfort. The bigger the task and the less competent we feel, the greater the procrastination. The antidote is making goals feel small and achievable.
- Build a culture of collective progress narrativeCultivate the team story that 'we are the ones who can be bothered to do the little things that other teams cannot.' As Brailsford told his team: 'The reason we have been good is because we can be arsed to do all these little things that other teams cannot be bothered to do.' This narrative itself becomes a motivational engine.
Setting big inspiring goals for a demoralized team
When a team is already struggling, ambitious goals feel like impossible mountains. They cause frustration, helplessness, and paralysis rather than motivation. Start with embarrassingly small wins to build momentum first.
Undervaluing subjective feelings of progress
95% of managers ranked 'making progress in work' last or third as a motivational tool. They are wrong. The research from 12,000 diary entries conclusively shows it is the NUMBER ONE driver of positive emotions and high motivation on any given workday.
This framework comes from Law 31: Leverage the Power of Progress in Steven Bartlett's Diary of a CEO.
Source · BOOK
The Diary of a CEO