Here are top elements:

1 – Clearly define what winning looks like

Look across the entire organization and define what it looks like from a variety of perspectives – sales, marketing, customer service, procurement, finance etc.

2 – Preferred cultures

In the same way that leaders shape and communicate a vision, they also spell out a picture of the culture they are striving for.

This can often be just a set of guiding principles or values, but the best seem to go further by establishing preferred behaviors that support these values.

3 – Set stretch targets

Employees tend to rise to the standard set for them. There is a fine line between good stretch targets, which can energize an organization, and bad ones, which can dampen morale.

4 – Connect to the big picture

The majority of employees want to be a part of a compelling future, want to know what is most important at work and what excellence looks like. For targets to be meaningful and effective in motivating employees, they must be tied to larger organizational ambitions.

5 – Develop an ownership mentality

When individuals understand the boundaries in which they can operate, as well as where the company wants to go, they feel empowered with a freedom to decide and act, and most often make the right choices. They begin to think and act like an “owner”

6 – Improving performance through transparency

By sharing numbers with employees, you can increase employees’ sense of ownership. However you need to be sure your employees are trained to have enough insight into their own jobs to know how to affect the numbers. Focus on additional metrics besides the financial ones.

7 – Increase performances

Employees who are engaged put their heart and soul into their job and have the energy and excitement to give more than is required of the job. Engaged employees are committed and loyal to the organization

The leaders must be able use stories to motivate their employees to achieve more than they thought possible. Internal communication need to be on the top of the agenda.