With the recession finally in our rearview mirror (so they say), most companies are beginning to pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and at least try to get back to business. But the past year has left its mark: Employees are in a funk. They are fearful, overworked, distrustful, and have less enthusiasm and passion due to collective financial stress. Many leaders are continually frustrated by their teams’ performance, low morale, and engagement. How can we turn this around? The solution doesn’t involve fancy technology, new equipment, or extensive research and development. In fact, the answer lies in a basic human rationale: motivation.

I’m not advocating a mass hiring of motivational speakers to address America’s sluggish workforce. Nor am I suggesting you spend thousands of dollars on motivational products. In fact, as you will learn in my newly released book, Soup: A Recipe to Nourish Your Team and Culture (Wiley, 2010), that motivational speeches don’t work. However, leaders who motivate do. Now, more than ever, a leader’s job is to motivate and rally his team through challenging times. You can’t outsource motivation. It is the leaders and managers who must motivate.

 …