Incentive Compensation for Contractors - Audience Question: When?

While an incentive program won’t turn around a completely bad culture, there is also no such thing as a perfect culture.

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Contributors Sue Weiler-Doke David Brown

Here are the important prerequisites to have in place before getting started with an incentive program:

  • Does the team have trust in management’s integrity, using Brené Brown’s definition? 
  • Do the team members have a reasonable degree of trust between each other by the same criteria?
  • Would the team be able to withstand a reasonable mistake and still stick together?

If you have these basics in place, then your culture is good enough to start an incentive program. Start modestly and improve each year. Remember that education and communication have more to do with program success than the nuts and bolts of the program itself.

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

Chinese Proverb

Very applicable to incentive programs.


In this video series, Courtney Stearns, Sue Weiler-Doke, and David Brown discuss the most common questions we get from contractors about incentive programs, including a bunch of great questions from the audience.

This is Part 16 of a 20-Part Series


Topics Covered in the Series Include:

  • Alignment
  • Calculations
  • Prerequisites
  • Mitigating the Talent Shortage
  • Succession

All relationships start with a simple conversation. Let’s schedule some time to talk about your specific challenges and opportunities.


More from Courtney Stearns
Incentive Compensation for Contractors - Audience Question: Loss of Trust?
There will be times when your incentive program causes a loss of trust within the team. Here are a few steps toward rebuilding that trust.
Incentive Compensation for Contractors - Succession
Succession planning works best when leaders of the organization spend time helping leaders at all levels to think as business owners. This level of thinking includes cash flow and funding sources for all organizational planning.
Incentive Compensation for Contractors - Next Steps
When starting an incentive compensation program, the best thing you can do is start relatively simply and create a good plan for reviewing the results and then improving the program.