The Progress Principle - Never Underestimate the Power of Small Actions

Your team oversees a long and massive project but each day brings small achievements toward completion. The entire job may feel like a mountain to climb, but every bit of progress boosts the team’s motivation and sense of accomplishment, making everyone feel closer to the goal.

That’s the PROGRESS PRINCIPLE: Even small steps forward, no matter how small, can elevate mood, enhance creativity, and fuel motivation. By supporting incremental achievements and offering well-deserved recognition, managers have a larger impact on team wellbeing than they might realize because:

1. When we feel we’re making real progress, MOTIVATION and WELL-BEING rise.

2. Minor achievements also spark motivation, leading to more EFFORT and CREATIVITY.

3. Experiencing the emotions and thoughts linked to progress strengthens PERFORMANCE and ATTITUDE.

YOUR ROLE as a Leader?

Set clear goals, remove obstacles, provide feedback, and very importantly, CELEBRATE each achievement, no matter how small.

How are YOU recognizing small wins in your team?

Reference 

• Amabile, T. M., & Kramer, S. J. (2011). The power of small wins. Harvard Business Review, 89(5), 70-80.