How to Get 10x Effort From Your Employees

Introduction: Stop Expecting More—Start Unlocking It

Here's a hard truth most leaders don't want to say out loud:

Most employees aren't giving 100%.
They're giving just enough not to get fired.

If you're lucky, they're at a 1x output—meeting expectations, checking boxes, doing their "job."

But the goal isn't compliance.
The goal is commitment.

At Day 41 Thrive, and in Don't GUESS, Thrive Through Storms, we teach leaders how to unlock effort, not demand it—because people don't go 10x for companies.
They go 10x for leaders who believe in them and show them the way.

Here's how to shift from transactional output to transformational effort.

1. Know the Real Starting Line: <1x Effort Is Normal

Most leaders assume people start at 1x effort.
But the reality? Most start at 0.8x—just doing the basics:

• Punching in on time
• Avoiding big mistakes
• Responding only when asked

Why? Because:

• They're not bought in
• They don't know the "why"
• No one's ever led them past average

That's not laziness. That's leadership waiting to happen.

You don't raise effort with pressure. You raise it with purpose.

2. Activate Identity Before You Expect Performance

From Don't GUESS, Thrive Through Storms:

"You can't grow someone into the next level if they don't see themselves there."

If someone only sees themselves as a laborer, don't expect them to think like a leader.

Ask yourself:

• Do they know the mission they're a part of?
• Do they know how their role creates impact?
• Do they feel trusted to grow?

When you activate identity, you unlock effort.
People rise to the level of how you see them—and remind them.

3. Turn Effort Into Ownership with the G.U.E.S.S. Framework

From the G.U.E.S.S. model:

• GROW: Self-reflect, expand, evolve, develop
• UNLEASH: Recognize, inspire, support, empower
• ENHANCE: Focus, leverage, optimize, work smart
• STRATEGIZE: Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound
• SYNCHRONIZE: Trust, engage, align, mobilize

10x effort doesn't come from hype.
It comes from structure that guides performance and belief that fuels it.

You're not just trying to manage effort.
You're shaping it—one clear step at a time.

You're not building employees. You're building champions.

4. Create a Culture of Safe Stretching

You want 10x effort?
Give people safe spaces to fail and grow.

• Reward initiative, not just results
• Celebrate effort, not just output
• Review decisions, not just mistakes

People don't fear effort.
They fear looking dumb, being punished, or getting left behind.

Build a culture where trying hard is the expectation, not the exception.

5. Respect That They'll Never Be You (And That's a Good Thing)

Here's something every founder and leader needs to hear:

No employee will ever be you.
And they shouldn't be.

They didn't risk everything. They don't wake up at 3AM thinking about payroll.
They aren't obsessed with the mission—and that's okay.

Your team should be able to:

• Work hard from 9 to 5
• Clock out without guilt
• Go home and be with their family

So stop:

• Sending late-night texts
• Shooting off early-morning emails
• Expecting them to live and breathe the business

You'll burn them out.

When people are trusted, protected, and given margin, effort multiplies.

Create a culture where people are allowed to:

• Try and fail
• Log off on time
• Be human

And most importantly, set boundaries and stick to them.
If you want high performance, model sustainable leadership.

6. Incentivize Behavior, Not Just Results

Most companies reward production and sales only.

But if you want to build a 10x culture:

• Recognize problem-solvers
• Celebrate teammates who support others
• Reward great communication and ownership

"We don't just value what you do. We value how you show up."

7. Multiply What's Working

Find your 2x, 3x, and 5x players—and figure out what they're doing differently.

Then:

• Share their stories
• Create teachable moments
• Turn habits into systems

Effort is contagious. Shine the spotlight on it.

Final Thought: You Don't Need Clones. You Need Champions.

If you're expecting your team to care like the founder, you're setting them up to fail.

But if you give them the tools, the trust, and the training—they'll give you more than compliance.
They'll give you commitment.

Effort multiplies in cultures that are clear, kind, and consistent.

So:

• Train with purpose
• Lead with trust
• Honor their time
• Stop measuring value by who "acts like the owner"

This is how you build teams that thrive through storms—without burning out in them.

Day 41 Thrive — Lead Better. Grow Stronger. Thrive Longer.