As a voracious reader and curious about the insights of effective leadership principles, resources and strategies I highly recommend the work of Dr. David Rock of the NeuroLeadership Institute. Dr. Rock researches the impact of our brain function with leadership capabilities. His book Your Brain At Work is an excellent resource providing insights on our brains and leadership.
SCARF Model by David Rock outlines the importance of what motivates and de-motivates people based on the following characteristics.
Status is about relative importance to others.
Certainty concerns being able to predict the future.
Autonomy provides a sense of control over events.
Relatedness is a sense of safety with others – a friend rather than a foe.
Fairness is a perception of fair exchanges between people.
After reading his research and his book, I became better able to understand mine and others behavior and actions. You can too!
As a follow up I highly recommend reading and discovering the insights and research Dr. Rock provides.