John Stanko

"David had said, 'Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will become commander-in-chief.' Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and so he received the command" - 1 Chronicles 11:6.

David offered a reward to others who could help him accomplish his goal of conquering Jerusalem. Joab's goal was to lead the army, so his personal goal fit perfectly into David's bigger goal.  Leaders must be clear on what goals the group, department, or company are pursuing. Then the rewards must reinforce those goals, and the rewards must help people motivate themselves to action. All corporate goals should offer a reward that someone wants and not an ultimatum that they must achieve the goals 'or else.'

LEADERSHIP STEP: Your Step today is to examine the rewards system you have in place. First, do those rewards communicate what is most important to you and the company? Second, do the rewards provide a clear and desired incentive to those involved? Third, are your goals clearly communicated to those working to achieve them? The easiest way to discover the answers is to ask those involved to evaluate your goals for clarity and your rewards for relevance.