Discretionary Effort

"Discretionary effort is the level of effort people could give if they wanted to, but above and beyond the minimum required." —Aubrey C. Daniels, Ph.D.

Many organizations manage performance in such a way that motivates employees to do only enough to get by and avoid getting in trouble (negative reinforcement). Typically, these organizations manage by exception, providing consequences for workers' performance only when it falls below the standard or minimum required.

This approach gets immediate results, but just enough behavior to stop the threats and the potential for other negative consequences in the near future. It suppresses discretionary effort because there is nothing in it anyone to do more than the minimum required.

How to Maximize Discretionary Effort

At Aubrey Daniels International (ADI), we understand that the only way organizations can earn discretionary effort is through the effective use of positive reinforcement. The more likely that people experience positive and immediate consequences for their behavior, the more likely they will be to enjoy what they are doing and gladly go above and beyond the minimum required. People do it all the time in their personal lives. They also do it in organizations that are skilled in building positive reinforcement into the work itself. These organizations support work process and self-reinforcement with positive reinforcement from peers, managers, and performance systems.

Motivating discretionary effort does not mean squeezing all you can from employees. The “want to” part of the definition is critical. Leaders need to create a psychologically safe environment in which organizational systems, processes, and leadership practices motivate and reinforce the focused effort and accomplishments of employees. This is why we say that discretionary effort must be earned. 

By eliminating negative consequences (e.g., time, effort) for critical business behaviors and then building in frequent positive consequences for those same behaviors, organizations can tap into the discretionary efforts of their workforce. Not only is this good for business, but it is also good for the organizational culture and the workforce.

Discretionary Effort Resources

• Infographic: 5 Steps Managers Can Take to Earn Discretionary Performance
• Blog: Want to Build Discretionary Effort? Focus on Building Rapport
• Blog: Quelling Quiet Quitting
• Blog: Don’t Blame Employees for Lack of Effort—Managers Hold the Key
• Blog: Are you a Reinforcement Creator or Killer?
• Blog: Why Positive Management Training Should be Part of Your Company Wellness Program
• Workshops: Behavioral Leadership Training and Safety Leadership Training
• Services: Employee Engagement and Safety Engagement
• Services: Organizational Culture Change and Safety Culture Change
• Book: Bringing Out the Best in People

To learn how to earn discretionary effort from others, attend the Applications of Behavioral Leadership Workshop.