Workplace lessons from Harambee Stars performance in the CHAN tournament

A team that had never won a title in CHAN before, Harambee Stars were a very diligent yet underrated team prior to the commencement of the qualifiers to the African Nations Championship (CHAN).

Then came a powerful morale boost: President William Ruto promised Sh1 million for every player and team member, every time they won a match. As encouragement this was not alone a money incentive; but a civic donation of faith in their abilities.

The effects were instantaneous and visible. The energy levels of the team increased. The trainings were heavier. There was better communication on the field. A new desire to win was reflected in the players. That momentum led to a spectacular win against Morocco, a giant in African football in the match few people thought Kenya could win.

This turnaround was not about talent alone; the team had largely the same players as before. The real difference came from a surge of belief and unity and pursuit for excellence.

Each player understood that their contribution directly influenced the outcome, and that their effort would be recognised and rewarded. This sense of ownership created an environment where personal ambition and team success moved in the same direction.
What can organisations learn from this?

Make rewards associated with distinct results: The promise made by the President was clear cut; win a match, get rewarded. The incentives in organisations are supposed to correlate with controllable objectives.

Whether it’s hitting sales targets, major project completion, or development of new solutions, people are prone to give their best when they have a clear vision of what success looks like and what benefit it will entail to them.

Reward hard work and success publicly: Motivation does not only mean money. Awareness could have great force. In the example of Harambee stars, the prize announcement was done publicly, which was an indication to the players as well as the country that their efforts were valued. Leaders’ ought to develop the habit of marking milestones, whether small or large, publicly.

Read: Kenya’s CHAN Triumph: Youth, unity and global glory in a kickoff

Have faith in your line up: Morale can best be boosted as in case of providing authentic trust and belief. When the leaders portray a sense of confidence in their teams, the employees will tend to go out of their comfort zones.

Establish common purpose: The Harambee Stars were not only playing to get money but taking part on behalf of the nation. At the organisation, the sense of one-ness and identification with a greater purpose, which employees can feel good about, is created through connection of individual jobs to a larger cause.

Maintain the power: Great results can be ignited with one incentive, however, to sustain performance the leaders must initiate a culture that consistently fosters morale through timely feedback, development opportunities and equitable rewards.

In essence, motivation and morale are not a peripheral issue, but a primary advancing factor toward excellence.

The same way Kenya national team used the combination of incentives and team spirit to turn faith into record breaking success, organisations should be able to perform successful great results by creating an atmosphere in which people feel needed, appreciated and encouraged to deliver their best.

In the ever-changing world, those leaders who excel at morale boosting and motivation will not necessarily win their competitive matches, but they will set a new precedence as to what their organisations can do.

The writer is an economist and a business consultant.