Your job isn’t to keep people inspired. It’s to build the clarity, rhythm, and accountability that let them thrive.
I recall the first time I became a manager in my role as Head of Agency in Manila. I thought my job was to keep the team fired up—pep talks, pat-on-the-back energy, the whole show at the age of 26. I was wrong. Motivation is inconsistent. It comes and goes like a cheap buzz, and if your team depends on it, everyone crashes eventually.
The real job? Build the conditions where people don’t need you to light a fire under them, where they can do their best work, day in and day out. For me, that comes down to three things:
Know Your Team, Responsibilities, and Standards
People don’t fail because they’re lazy. They fail because they’re in the dark. Your first act as a manager is to remove the fog: define roles, responsibilities, and what the standard actually looks like. When people know the rules, they can play the game, take ownership, and stop wasting energy guessing what matters.
Build a Clear Operating Structure and Rhythm
High performers don’t wing it. They thrive on rhythm: weekly check-ins, business reviews, team huddles—mundane, yes, but crucial. Structure doesn’t feel sexy, but it’s what keeps the wheels turning. And accountability? That’s not punishment. It’s respect. It’s saying: I know you can do better, and I’m going to hold you to it.
Make Space for Growth
Once clarity and rhythm exist, growth happens. Feedback, coaching, learning—these are the levers that actually stretch people. But here’s the trick: support isn’t about wrapping someone in bubble wrap. It’s about standing beside them while they figure it out. Demand progress, give guidance, and let them own it.
Google’s Project Aristotle found that the best teams succeed where psychological safety exists: clear expectations, fair accountability, and real support. Motivation alone won’t do it. Systems do. Habits do. People do.
Leading in Times of AI
Now, toss AI into the mix. Tools can generate work, automate, analyze—but they don’t teach judgment. They don’t coach, push, or challenge. That’s your job. The managers who double down on clarity, rhythm, and structured growth will help their teams win with AI instead of being fearful.
The Takeaway
Motivation is fleeting. Systems last. Don’t try to inspire your team every Monday morning. Give them clarity, build a rhythm, demand accountability, and carve out space to grow. Let the work, the structure, and the expectations do the heavy lifting. If you do this right, the fire is theirs, not yours.