What is Drive?
The Five Pillars of High-Performance are Direction, Collaboration, Communication, Agility and Drive. When all Five Pillars are demonstrably strong in an organisation, we find that team members are highly motivated, innovation is in abundance, and productivity is optimised.
Today’s Virtual Coach is focussed on the fifth and final High-Performance Pillar: Drive
Drive: What Are You Paying Attention To?
The pillar of Drive is a little more focussed on the individual, rather than the organisation. We consider individual levels of autonomy and empowerment, and how that impacts performance. We also look at levels of motivation and drive, as well as desire to perform well for the good of the team. It’s about dynamic mindsets and get-up-and-go! We ask questions such as:
- How motivated do you feel to come to work every day?
- How much autonomy do you have in your role?
- What could help you feel more empowered?
- How productive do you feel on a day-to-day basis?
- What are your motivation de-raileurs?
Drive: As A High-Performance Leader
Being bought in to the team purpose, feeling empowered and accountable, and taking ownership appropriately; Motivated to perform our role to the best of our ability, and demonstrating a dynamic mindset by providing directional input and feedback.
When you are energised and excited by the work that you do, it often has a powerful ripple-effect on the team, influencing morale, motivation and performance.
LEGO: How Empowered Employees Rebuilt a Company
In the early 2000s, LEGO — the world’s most beloved toy brand — was in trouble. Sales were falling, the company was losing focus, and creativity had been buried under bureaucracy. Then came a bold shift that changed everything: trusting employees to lead the comeback.
Empowerment Sparks Innovation
When Jørgen Vig Knudstorp became CEO in 2004, he gave LEGO teams real ownership. Decision-making moved closer to the people actually creating and testing products. Employees were encouraged to act like entrepreneurs — experimenting, learning fast, and collaborating freely. The result was faster innovation, higher morale, and a renewed sense of purpose across the company.
Co-Creating with Fans
LEGO also invited its community to join the process through LEGO Ideas, a platform where fans submit and vote on new designs. Many fan-created LEGO sets went on to become global best-sellers. Employees worked hand-in-hand with fans, turning passion into products.
A Culture of Trust
Instead of punishing failure, LEGO embraced it as part of learning. Teams were encouraged to test ideas quickly, refine them, and try again. This shift from control to creativity reignited the innovative spirit that defined LEGO’s roots.
The Results
By 2015, LEGO had become the world’s most profitable toy company. Employee engagement soared, and LEGO’s products were once again setting the standard for creativity and fun worldwide.
If your organisation is able to create a culture where your employees are trusted, motivated and empowered to make a difference, you will witness significant improvements in productivity and performance. Need support with this? Get in touch! You’re In Cool Company…
