[August 6, 2026] A great leader I knew, many years ago, told me that it is not a leader’s job to motivate people. At the time I thought that he was crazy. His comment ran counter to everything I’d been taught in the military. And more than just being taught, we were being evaluated on how motivated our troops were.
The idea that leadership, or the study of leadership, is worthy of our close attention is the reason I began this website thirteen years ago. I’ve not been disappointed in those who are part of what I tried to do; their comments follow me to this day. And, I thank them for forcing me to clarify better what a leader does.
A leader is someone who must know where he is going. And a leader cannot lead unless he has a destination in mind, and that destination implies there is an ethic (an orienting principle) as the spirit that shapes how one decides, acts, and influences others.
That leader needs to also be able to clearly communicate that, and best to communicate it within a coherent story. The story is how people remember and become part of the direction the leader is headed.
If a leader wants to motivate people, that is not the way to think about what a good leader does. A leader shouldn’t want to motivate people, that’s manager idiot-speak. What a leader does is figure out something that is truly worth doing; so much that you would want to commit a large portion of your life to it.
The reasons for pursuing a goal must be paramount. As well, being able to clearly communicate that to others where you’re going is worth it, and in such a manner that it also appeals to other people’s sense of purpose.
It is crucial that the leader be able to communicate where he is going and its purpose is imminently justified, and more justified than anything else that we could be doing at the same time. The leader must say what’s in it for him, and also what’s in it for you, and here’s why the two of us have the goal of getting there.
The psychology behind this idea of leadership is very interesting. Many have made the claim that the system everyone voluntarily participates in is more sustainable and productive than one that people have to be forced to participate in. This is child psychologist Jean Piaget’s brilliant idea.
This is the difference between the utility of freedom versus the utility of tyranny, according to Piaget. We could say that the strong-arm leader wins out, “Do this, or else.” Certainly, that’s a way of organizing a society, business, or any group, but the enforcement costs are so high that the freedom method will outcompete the authoritarian one across time.
If you want to set up an organization, it certainly can be set up along authoritarian lines. But, you’re basically compelling people to perform with punishment and fear. It is better that people are motivated positively and the way you do that is to communicate the goal; here’s your role, here’s what this will do to add to your life, and add to your life in practical terms.
If that leader is competent, and possesses a certain amount of conscientiousness, then people will participate voluntarily. There is no need, then, to overlord them. That is the optimal circumstances under which to engage with other people.
“A leader is someone who can get people to do things they would not ordinarily do. A good leader is someone who can do this because they want to do it.” – my definition of leadership
The leader says, “Hey, we’re all in the same boat. We’re going somewhere interesting. Everyone’s got a role to play. We’re all in this together, and it’s working out for each of us well.”
And, here is another interesting angle that can get people more interested. One way is to tell people to go home and spend a few hours formulating a career plan about how they’re going to contribute to their organization. Another way is to tell people to go home and formulate a plan for their life that includes their job at this organization as a subset.
If you compare the results of this at the end of a period of time to see who’s more successful, like a year, you will see that it is those who formulated a plan for their life is the best technique. This is why Piaget’s idea is so brilliant.
Any leader who is worth their salt wants to have his people to do something worthwhile with their life that they are engaged in. Why? Because if they can’t do that for their life, then they certainly would not be able to for the leader.
The leader also wants to see how their work serves their higher-order purpose. If it doesn’t, then they are in the wrong place. If their job is running at cross-purposes with their life, then how can they be motivated? They can’t.
At least, they’re going to be stymied constantly by the internal contradiction. The leader is trying to get everyone pointed in the same direction. The group itself has a point, and everyone in that group also has a point, at least as long as their integrated points support the overall narrative.
That’s the purpose of leadership. To do so is very difficult , especially at multiple levels of effort, but that is how to build a stellar effort.
We also see that in organizations, the senior leadership builds a mission statement, sort of as a fashionable effort, and frequently that doesn’t work out well. The reason is that most of it is hand waving. And that sort of performance can make those with you very cynical if it’s handwaving.
It need not be overlooked that in larger, complex organizations those in the upper echelons need to know their purpose and maximizing success in the short-term is usually not a good strategy. And it’s also often a catastrophic medium to long-term strategy. Words bandied about like “vision” and “leadership” only make sense if you drill down into them.
This begins with orienting yourself in your life. If you plan on being effective at work, then you should first of all, be effective in your life. And even more importantly, if you have an idea of the direction of your life, and your job is serving that purpose, then instantly your job becomes motivating.
To be able to see how your work connects to the organization’s goal, and that those goals are really worthwhile, are what gets people motivated when they’re undertaking an act that’s associated with the goal that they desire.
There isn’t any motivation without movement toward a desired goal. The ideas of “vision” and “leadership,” all should be philosophical and metaphysical concepts that are only vaguely related to the practicalities of performance. That’s wrong.
They’re concrete, vital, and definable, and if you ignore them, you do so at your peril, both personally and socially.
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An overlooked article with excellent points. This article by Gen. Satterfield makes a strong case that true leadership goes far beyond trying to pump people up. A leader’s real work starts with finding a goal that is genuinely worth the effort. Once that goal is clear, the leader must explain it in a story that everyone can understand and remember. People need to see how the shared purpose improves their own lives as well as the group’s success. When that connection is honest, most individuals choose to join in without being pushed. Forcing effort through fear or pressure only creates short-term results and high costs. Voluntary participation lasts longer because it grows from personal meaning instead of outside control. Helping team members link their job to a larger life plan strengthens that internal drive even more. Leaders who ignore this step often end up with cynical or disengaged people. Clear direction and a justified purpose replace the need for constant motivation speeches. The best teams move forward because everyone wants the same worthwhile outcome. This approach demands competence and honesty from the leader at every level. Overall the article offers practical wisdom that any leader can use right away.
GEN Odierno was da man.
Gen. Satterfield makes me really made think about what real leadership looks like. I like how he says a leader’s job is not just to push people to work harder. Instead, a good leader picks a goal that is truly worth chasing. Then he explains that goal in a clear story so everyone understands it. When people see how the work helps their own life, they want to join in. Forcing people with fear never works as well as real purpose does. I agree that voluntary effort lasts longer and feels better for everyone. The idea of lining up personal plans with the group’s mission is smart and practical. It shows why some teams stay strong while others fall apart. This advice feels honest and useful for anyone who leads. Thank you, sir, for sharing these clear thoughts on true leadership.
Thank you Dennis for your kind words and for taking the time to share your thoughts about Gen. Satterfield’s article. Like me, I am glad the ideas about leadership made you stop and think. A leader’s main job is to choose a goal that truly matters, then the leader must explain that goal in a simple story everyone can follow. When people see how the work helps their own lives, they join in willingly. Fear and force may get short-term results, but they never last. Real purpose creates effort that people give freely and keep giving. Matching personal plans with the team’s mission keeps groups strong. Teams fall apart when people feel forced instead of connected to a shared purpose. I appreciate your clear summary and your honest support of these ideas.
Indeed, a different twist on the idea of motivation.
AMAZIN’
The “purpose of leadership.” Most people try to answer that and fail. I think Gen. Satterfield has done a good job of it here as it relates to motivating folks to do a better job of whatever task they’ve been assigned.
👍 General Satterfield, you sure do know how to twist my brain. 💯 Another one of your push for us to better understand the human mind and how it works under pressure/stress. 👀 I always look for these kind of articles so I become a better person. 😂 Thank you sir for your service. 🫡 I’m a huge huge huge fan. 🤠
In your thumbnail, I see that it’s MG Ray Odierno. He was a good man but sadly passed at 67 years of age. 🫡 I will pray for his family. Good article on how great leaders motivate.
Welcome First Sergeant Ted. Please feel free to give us your thoughts. One thing about this forum, set up by Gen. Satterfield is so that we can share ideas, run them by other people, and get regular feedback that helps us shape our thinking better. And the feedback is in the form of constructive criticism, not criticism for its own sake or to show we are smarter than you. I hope you stay around and read more of his articles and learn a bit on the way. And, also you can suggest topics, and Gen. Satterfield often will write more on that subject.
Dr. Jean Piaget, smart man. His study of children, and the lessons we can learn from those studies are still coming out. This is what happens when you let the studies do the talking and having interpreted them without ideology coloring your conclusions. Too much of the crazy political progressive crap influencing what we know today, and that was driven much by the perforative rhetoric from ex-Pres Obama (what a total clown that duped so many people and still does). Just look at his “library” and the dumb things he says today. Loved this article because it gave me a new perspective on what leadership can be, and the core idea that our job is to convince others the purpose of what they are doing in our company, so that their internal motivation drives them to do good. External motivation only works so far and is easy, but limited. Encouraging internal motivation works great, but is hard, and nearly unlimited. Thank you, Gen. Satterfield. Please continue these kinds of ideas about such an important topic.
Sir, you have a thumbnail showing GEN Ray Odierno, a truly great leader but sadly passed away a few years ago at a fairly young age. We lost a good one with his passing.
“Army general who commanded in Iraq dies of cancer at age 67”
https://apnews.com/article/joint-chiefs-of-staff-raymond-t-odierno-middle-east-iraq-army-7dc54d83e3a72a33643d9cf8655c8d38
I understand that Gen. Satterfield knew him. Indeed, we lost a good one with him passing away so early in his life. He is the kind of man you want involved with helping America become a better place with each good action. And yet too many Leftists — who are anti-American these days — would protest him even showing up to talk about the ideas on how to improve leadership. Good man. Great patriot.