Book excerpt: It's one of the thorniest management problems around: dealing with unmotivated, low-performing employees. It's easy to point the finger of blame at them. But in most companies, it's the reward system, not the workforce, that's causing poor attitudes and performance: many reward systems actually discourage desired behaviors while rewarding the very actions that drive executives crazy. In Reward Systems: Does Yours Deliver? Steve Kerr describes the steps you must take to create an effective reward system: - Clarify what you mean by "performance" -- in ways that help employees understand how they can support what you're trying to accomplish - Devise an effective performance-measurement system that distinguishes between metrics used for control and those used for employees' development - Design a reward system that motivates people to do what you want them to do while also meeting their needs To get the most from employees, you don't need to add headcount, upgrade your IT capabilities, or hire consultants. You do need to develop the right reward system. This book shows you how. From our new Memo to the CEO series -- solutions-focused advice from today's leading practitioners.