The sequence in Figure 1 is frequently inverted, with the key driver being what you think will make your own boss happy. In a healthy, congruent workplace, the boss should be thrilled if you are meeting the needs of your team and its customers. Priorities for the enlightened software manager. One way managers can tell if they have their priorities straight is whether they ever receive any recognition from their team members. Remember to thank your own managers for special contributions they make or extra help they provide to you.
Managers are people, too, with the same desire to be appreciated that anyone else has.
The skillful manager will use recognition and rewards to reinforce desired behaviors, rather than offering tangible incentives to individuals or teams to achieve specific goals. Either way, everyone loses. Instead of offering incentives, design a reward program that matches your organization's culture and means something to your team members. Motivate your team through frequent interim recognition activities, and reward them for a job well done when the job really is done. People should also be rewarded for taking intelligent risks, even if a great notion or great effort doesn't pay off for reasons outside the development team's control.