Rethinking Motivation in Sales: Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Drivers

Episode 20 • 13 May 2026

 

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Behavioral science reveals that many sales leaders rely too heavily on extrinsic rewards — commissions, bonuses, contests — thinking that's enough to motivate. But it’s often the intrinsic factors — autonomy, mastery, purpose, recognition — that sustain long-term performance. This episode addresses the question: when designing your team’s incentives, what behavior are you trying to reinforce?

Key topics:

  • How motivation is influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors
  • Are your incentives guiding behaviors, not just rewarding outcomes?
  • The importance of observing current behaviors is crucial for effective incentive design
  • How to analyze incremental growth as a positive indicator of progress

Featured Speakers

CARL MACDONLAD, VIBE SMG

Carl MacDonald is a senior incentive marketing strategist with nearly 20 years of experience driving sales performance and channel engagement. As Vice President of Customer Success at VIBE SMG, he helps organizations scale incentive programs into measurable revenue impact. He also serves on the board of the Incentive & Engagement Solution Providers (IESP), helping to shape industry best practices. Connect with Carl on LinkedIn.

Tim Houlihan, truist bank and the behavioral grooves podcast

Tim is the co-founder of the Behavioral Grooves Podcast, helping bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world application, making behavioral science accessible and actionable for professionals and enthusiasts worldwide. As SVP/Enterprise Director of Behavioral Science at Truist, Tim leverages behavioral science to inspire and build better lives and communities. Drawing on over 25 years of experience in marketing, consulting, and behavioral sciences, he has developed and implemented enterprise-wide solutions that address complex people challenges across public and private institutions. Connect with Tim on LinkedIn.

Adeshola (Olajumoke) Jaiyeola, CPIM, Uwin Iwin Incentives

Adeshola is the country director and lead of international partnerships at UNIWIN incentives. With more than 12 years of experience, she helps organizations improve employee engagement, motivation, and retention through results-driven incentive programs. Adeshola utilises digital solutions for business expansion in the African business market, with a history of leading high-performing sales teams across industries including telecom, banking, insurance, automotive, and manufacturing. Connect with Adeshola on LinkedIn.

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