Ask people to define the performance standards that will have meaning for them. Then have them talk about how they want to hold themselves accountable. This reduces the possibility that measurable performance standards will become punitive. Once measures become punitive, people will work to outsmart them to survive; learning decreases, and energy that should be going toward achieving the work is replaced by subversive efforts to “beat the system.”

When it comes to organizational cooperation, refuse to settle for the thought that because a gathering occurred and words were exchanged that anything meaningful happened. Instead, reframe the nature of the gathering by focussing on the core issue of why barriers to true cooperation persist. Address “why” they’re protecting territory. They must confront the question: “What are you willing to give up for the sake of the larger purpose?”

Behavior modification (or behavior change) is a classic human predicament that is reflected in the question: How do I get those people to change their behavior? It’s time to reframe the problem statement if change is what you really want.

There are few things that incite feelings of injustice at work as the perception of “freeloaders”…low performers, reaping benefit from other people’s work.

Bosses are created by those who work for them. If the boss isn’t bossing well, then the team is teaming well. Reframing the classic problem Boss around the responsibility of the team makes change possible.