Thoughts:
“If you want people to act like owners, give them a reason that pays them like one.”
“Shouting at staff costs energy. Incentives create energy.”
“If ₦1,000 can make someone bring you ₦25,000 more, that’s not expense – that’s profit.”
Do you want to know the fastest way to make your staff lazy?
Pay them a fixed salary…
Then expect them to act like they own the business.
It’s like buying a generator and refusing to buy fuel… then complaining it won’t start.
A friend of mine runs a dispatch team.
He used to complain every week “These riders don’t deliver fast. They waste time.”
Then one day, I told him to test something different.
Instead of shouting or threatening, he set a bonus rule:
“Normal delivery target is 10 per day. If you hit 15+, you get an extra ₦2,000 – ₦5,000 for the day.”
Suddenly, the same people who “couldn’t” do more than 10… started hitting 17… 18… even 20 deliveries.
And guess what?
They were smiling while doing it.
We do the same for our ecommerce business.
In fact, the strategy I gave to him was from our ecommerce business.
Because humans work harder when they feel like there’s something in it for them.
Not just survival money.
Your staff don’t care about your business as much as you do.
They care about themselves – their pocket, their comfort, their pride.
So if you want them to act like owners, give them a reason that benefits them when they win.
It’s not manipulation. It’s human nature.
Even in Nigerian traffic, the danfo conductor shouts louder when more passengers means more commission.
How To Make Staff Carry Your Business On Their Head
1. Set a Clear Base + Bonus
Most business owners make this mistake; they assume staff “just know” what’s expected.
Wrong. You need to spell it out like WAEC instructions.
If your delivery target is 10 per day, say it clearly.
Then set a stretch goal like 15 deliveries for an extra reward.
The human brain works like a radio station… it tunes better when the signal is clear.
That’s why sales reps go mad for “Sales Person of the Month” bonus
Because they know exactly what the finish line looks like and what’s waiting for them there.
Even Okada riders race each other to junctions because the first one gets the passenger (and the cash).
People chase targets when the target is real and the prize is juicy.
If you don’t have bonuses, set one.
2. Track Daily, Reward Weekly
Here’s where most bosses fail – they wait until month-end to say “good job” or give a bonus.
By then, the excitement is dead.
Dopamine (the brain’s “I like this!” chemical) fades fast.
If you want consistent fire, track performance every single day and reward in short cycles.
Think about how football fans cheer after every goal, not just at the end of the season.
That immediate feedback makes players hungrier.
Same thing here – if a staff hits 15 deliveries today, let him know today that he’s closer to that weekly bonus.
The closer and more frequent the feedback, the stronger the habit.
3. Mix Money With Recognition
Money is powerful.
But sometimes, public recognition hits deeper than cash.
Imagine calling out the top performer in front of the team on Monday morning.
Shake their hand. Give them their bonus envelope in public. Add a little applause.
Suddenly, the rest of the team is thinking, “I want that shine next week.”
People will work harder for status and respect than they will for a silent bank transfer.
That’s why some people buy expensive clothes – they’re not just buying fabric, they’re buying the feeling of being noticed.
The cost of bonuses is almost always less than the profit from the extra results they produce.
If an extra ₦1,000 makes someone bring in ₦25,000 more in profit, that’s not a cost – that’s an investment.
For us, we give our sales staff ₦1,000 when they upsell people that wanted to buy one to buy 2 or more products.
Which sometimes leads us to make more than ₦25,000+ in profit.
Think about it: would you reject a deal where you put in ₦1k and get ₦25k out?
Yet most business owners “save” that ₦1k and lose the ₦25k they could have made.
It’s like refusing to buy fuel for your generator, then complaining about darkness.
Some will say, “Why don’t you just get the best staff and not worry about bonuses…”
I’ll say…
Good luck getting the best staff who don’t want or crave bonuses.
This is the exact type of thing we teach inside Ecommerce Success Launchpad
how to build a business that runs faster, sells more, and doesn’t depend on you chasing people.
In the Inspire Staff & Install Ownership Mindset training inside ESL.
I break down how to design incentives, run Monday vision meetings, and create a culture where your people want to beat targets.
We even give you done-for-you incentive templates so you can plug-and-play in your own business without guessing.
If you’ve ever felt like your staff are dragging their feet…
Or you’re the only one who cares about results… This will change everything for you.
Join Ecommerce Success Launchpad today.
Learn the exact systems, scripts, and incentive plans that make your team deliver more, sell more, and care more – without you losing your voice shouting.
Click here to join now and make your team want to win
