Many productivity programs solve the wrong problem. This is what leaders should do instead

Most organizations think they have a productivity problem. They don’t. They have a work design problem. I’ve spent decades studying how people solve problems and take action, and the same pattern keeps showing up. Productivity dips, so leadership responds the way they always do: new tools, redesigned workflows, and an engagement initiative with a catchy name. And it works, but only for a while. Teams rally around the new process. Leaders feel good about the momentum. Then, a few months later, the same questions come back. Why does the work still feel harder than it should? Why are capable, committed people running on fumes? And typically, motivation isn’t the issue. But the actual work itself is in conflict with how people naturally approach problem-solving. What leaders miss when they evaluate employees Leaders typically evaluate performance in two ways. Does the person have the skills? And are they motivated enough to use them? Both matter. But there’s a third facto