What to do about Morale in Business

In most workplaces, the word morale tends to surface only when it becomes a problem—when teams are disengaged, tensions are high, or productivity takes a hit. But what is morale, really? And how can we genuinely improve it in a way that lasts?

In this video George Pransky shares a powerful yet simple understanding of morale that goes far beyond surface-level fixes. He challenges the traditional, outside-in model of improving morale—where the focus is on external changes like perks, team-building activities, or new management techniques—and introduces a new paradigm: morale is an inside-out experience created by thought and feeling in the moment.

Why “Feeling” Belongs in the Business Conversation

In most business settings, discussions around “feelings” are often avoided, considered too personal or subjective to be useful. But morale is one of the few areas where the feeling state of employees is not only relevant—it’s everything. As George explains, morale is the collective emotional climate within a team or organization. It affects collaboration, creativity, engagement, and overall performance.

But unlike traditional models that assume morale must be boosted by external incentives or fixed by identifying what's wrong, this video suggests something far more empowering: morale naturally rises when people understand how their experience is being created.

The Misunderstood Nature of Morale

Many leaders assume morale is shaped by external events—project deadlines, management styles, company policies. While these things may influence how people think and feel temporarily, they don’t hold the key to sustainable morale. George explains that our experience of work, stress, and connection is constantly being shaped by thought.

When individuals start to realize that their stress or discouragement is not coming from circumstances, but from their current thinking about those circumstances, something shifts. Pressure eases. Creativity and engagement return. A feeling of lightness and clarity—what we might call high morale—emerges naturally.

A Quiet Revolution in Leadership

This understanding has huge implications for leaders. You don’t have to micromanage morale. You don’t have to constantly keep spirits high. Instead, when you operate from a deeper understanding of where morale comes from—and model that understanding in your own state of mind—you become a stabilizing force for your team.

In the video, George points to how a leader’s clarity of mind and emotional steadiness can have more influence than any policy change or motivational speech. When a leader is grounded and operating from insight, it naturally elevates the environment around them.