If you've ever wondered why some salespeople crush quota with ease while others spin their wheels...
If you've tweaked comp plans, launched SPIFs, and still felt like motivation is a mystery...
You’re not alone.
So we called in backup: neuroscience.
Because beneath every CRM update and leaderboard refresh is a human brain—running on ancient software, emotional chemistry, and cognitive shortcuts.
Let’s unpack what really drives sales teams—straight from the science.
🧠 1. Dopamine Is the Engine of Motivation
Dopamine isn’t the “pleasure chemical.” It’s the anticipation chemical.
It’s released not when we get a reward—but when we expect one.
According to Schultz et al. (1997), dopamine spikes when a reward is both possible and uncertain—making variable rewards incredibly powerful motivators.
💡 What this means for RevOps:
- Time-limited SPIFs work because they spike anticipation
- Leaderboards work best when updated in real-time
- Predictability dulls dopamine—so use intermittent rewards for boosts
🧠 Don’t just reward performance. Create moments of anticipation that build toward it.
🧱 2. The Prefrontal Cortex Runs on Goals (and Gets Overloaded Easily)
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is the brain’s executive HQ. It manages planning, decision-making, and goal-setting—but it’s limited.
Neuroscientist John Medina (2008) notes that the PFC can only hold about 4 items at a time, and multitasking reduces productivity by up to 40%.
💡 What this means for Sales Ops:
- Reps perform best with one clear priority at a time
- Weekly targets > annual quotas
- Dashboards and incentives should reduce noise—not add to it
🧠 Simplicity isn’t just kind. It’s neurologically necessary.
📈 3. Social Comparison Is a Natural Motivator
Your sales team is hardwired to compare themselves to each other.
It’s not toxic—it’s human.
As Festinger’s Social Comparison Theory (1954) suggests, people evaluate their own worth by comparing their performance to peers—especially in ambiguous or competitive environments.
💡 What this means for Incentive Design:
- Real-time leaderboards boost energy
- Peer shout-outs drive dopamine and belonging
- Create tiered incentives that reward progress at every level
🧠 Sales isn’t a solo sport—it’s a mirror game.
🧪 4. Novelty Drives Engagement—But Only in Bursts
The brain’s attention systems crave novelty. But novelty fatigue is real.
Studies on the dopaminergic reward system show that while newness creates engagement, too much change = overwhelm.
(Kishida et al., 2011)
💡 What this means for SPIFs:
- Rotate formats (cash, experiences, gamified points)
- Don’t run the same contest every quarter
- Mix short-term novelty with long-term consistency
🧠 Change the wrapper, not the core message.
🔁 5. Habits Drive Long-Term Success
Motivation fluctuates. But habits stabilize performance.
According to Wendy Wood (2019), nearly 43% of our daily actions are habitual—not deliberate. That includes how reps start their day, prep for calls, and update CRM.
💡 What this means for RevOps leaders:
- Reward not just outcomes—but repeatable behaviors
- Incentivize CRM hygiene, pipeline maintenance, and pre-call planning
- Use nudges and gamification to lock in positive routines
🧠 Build systems that reward repetition—not just results.
Final Thought: Sales Runs on Brain Chemistry (and Great Incentive Design)
Your team doesn’t wake up each day thinking, “I wonder how well my comp plan aligns with corporate strategy.”
They wake up chasing clarity, momentum, validation, and progress.
And their brains are constantly deciding where to invest effort—based on reward signals.
As a RevOps leader, your job isn’t just to build fair comp plans.
It’s to create incentive systems that align with how humans actually think.
That’s where Leaptree Incentivize comes in.
Built to trigger the right feedback loops.
Designed for behavior, not just math.
Ready to help your team’s brain—and performance—light up.
📚 References
- Schultz, W., Dayan, P., & Montague, P. R. (1997). A neural substrate of prediction and reward. Science, 275(5306), 1593–1599.
- Medina, J. (2008). Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. Pear Press.
- Festinger, L. (1954). A Theory of Social Comparison Processes. Human Relations, 7(2), 117–140.
- Kishida, K. T., et al. (2011). Neural correlates of novelty and reward. Journal of Neuroscience, 31(44), 16383–16391.
- Wood, W. (2019). Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.