The 3 Cs That Motivate Your Team Without Micromanaging (with Dr. Scott Geller)

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Scott Geller, Alumni Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech and founder of the Actively Caring for People (AC4P) Foundation, has spent 56 years studying what moves people to act. His answer for leaders is research-based and practical. To motivate your team without micromanaging, build the 3 Cs of self-motivation: choice, competence, and community. In this conversation with Dr. William Attaway, Dr. Geller explains humanistic behaviorism, the difference between leading people and managing behavior, and how supportive and corrective feedback can both land as positive when they are done well. He shares his campus crosswalk research on gratitude, the story behind behavior-based safety, and his favorite acronym, COACH: care, observe, analyze, communicate, help. Connect with Dr. Scott Geller: Actively Caring for People Foundation: ac4p.org Chapters 00:00 Introducing Dr. Scott Geller 01:01 From cognitive psychology to making a difference 02:10 Humanistic behaviorism and the role of empathy 04:06 Leaders motivate by promoting self-motivation 05:06 The 3 Cs: choice, competence, and community 08:33 Every person matters 09:13 Actively caring for people 10:09 Leading people and managing behavior 11:30 Supportive and corrective feedback 14:11 Lessons from 56 years at Virginia Tech 16:54 The crosswalk gratitude study 18:48 Appreciation in the workplace 20:16 Behavior-based safety and the COACH acronym 25:33 The hunger for connection 28:46 Wins journals and small wins Apply now to be a part of the High Capacity Leaders mastermind in West Palm Beach, Florida on November 9-10, 2026. Go to https://westpalm.highcapacityleaders.org/ for more information. Check out Dr. William Attaway's new show, The Appreciation at Work Podcast!   Join Dr. William Attaway on the Catalytic Leadership podcast as he shares transformative insights to help high-performance entrepreneurs and agency owners achieve Clear-Minded Focus, Calm Control, and Confidence. Free 30-Minute Discovery Call: Ready to elevate your business? Book a free 30-minute discovery call with Dr. William Attaway and start your journey to success. Connect with Dr. William Attaway: Website LinkedIn Facebook Instagram TikTok YouTube