↑↓ 6. Maximize Benefits and Minimize Harm

As outlined in Principle 9, we are committed to maximizing collective benefits and minimizing harm (↑↓). A core methodology for achieving this involves understanding and strategically influencing the systems of rewards (incentives, benefits) and punishments (disincentives, costs) that shape behaviors relevant to existential risks.

Rather than relying on top-down enforcement, our approach is based on “soft power.”  This means influencing behavior by highlighting positive models, encouraging best practices, and making beneficial actions easier, more attractive, and more rewarding.  Harmful actions, conversely, should become more difficult, less rewarding, and less socially acceptable.

In the context of existential risks and strengthening Foundational Factors (FFs), aligning reward and punishment systems with long-term wellbeing is crucial for steering collective behavior toward resilience, cooperation, and sustainability.

↑↓ 6.1 Core Methodology: Shaping Systems of Incentives and Disincentives

Behavioral science and organizational learning consistently show that environments which emphasize positive reinforcement foster greater engagement, innovation, and resilience compared to environments dominated by fear or punishment.¹ By emphasizing rewards while keeping punitive interventions rare and principled, we create conditions where cooperation and resilience-building are the natural, self-reinforcing choice.  Focusing primarily on positive incentives is therefore not simply ethical—it is strategic:

• Maximizing Rewards: Design systems that make beneficial behaviors easier, more recognized, and more intrinsically satisfying. Celebrate contributions to resilience, cooperation, and safety.
• Minimizing Punishments: Minimize reliance on punitive measures wherever possible. Instead, use soft deterrents like loss of privileges, social disincentives, and gentle course corrections. When formal accountability measures (like suspension or expulsion) are necessary to protect group integrity, apply them transparently, fairly, and only as a last resort.

↑↓ 6.2 Practical Applications and Examples

Incentive systems should also be designed to reinforce the integration of human and ecological systems (🌍). For example, projects that advance community resilience by restoring local ecosystems, adopting sustainable practices, or enhancing climate adaptation efforts can be explicitly celebrated and rewarded. This helps align short-term community actions with long-term planetary wellbeing.  To translate these principles into practice:

• Recognition Systems: Create mechanisms to acknowledge and celebrate resilience efforts, such as milestones achieved by Steward Scout Troops or Task Forces. Recognition can include things like public praise, digital badges, symbolic awards, and opportunities for leadership.
• Highlighting Positive Models: Share success stories prominently—such as communities that built flood resilience (🔥) or collaborated across divides (🤝)—to inspire replication and adaptation.
• Encouraging Contribution through Accessible On-Ramps: Make participation easy and welcoming, providing clear pathways for involvement and celebrating early, small successes.

These examples create “virtuous cycles” where positive behavior attracts more participation and reinforces collective identity and momentum.  

↑↓ 6.3 Intrinsic Motivation: Building Lasting Engagement

True motivation to act in prosocial, resilience-building ways stems primarily from intrinsic sources: the internal fulfillment of basic psychological needs.²

• Connection: Individuals feel a deep sense of belonging and relatedness when they are part of supportive, purpose-driven groups. Fostering strong relational ties within our Network strengthens engagement and commitment (supports 🤝, 🧠).
• Autonomy: People thrive when they feel they have meaningful choice and agency in their actions. Providing avenues for decentralized decision-making and self-directed projects strengthens autonomy and resilience (supports =, 🤝, 🧠, 🔎).
• Competence: A sense of effectiveness—of being capable and impactful—motivates continued effort and innovation. Opportunities for skill-building, recognition, and adaptive learning strengthen competence and long-term engagement (supports 🔄, 🧠).
• Purpose: A clear sense of shared purpose provides deeper meaning to our actions, connecting daily contributions to the broader mission of safeguarding humanity’s future. When individuals understand how their participation contributes to long-term flourishing (⭐️), motivation becomes more sustainable, especially in the face of uncertainty or adversity.

When these needs are met, individuals are naturally more likely to engage voluntarily, sustaining high-quality participation. Conversely, when they are chronically frustrated, reliance on external punishments or rewards grows—undermining resilience, agency, and trust.

In designing systems of rewards and gentle accountability, we also draw upon the principles of Constructive Compassionate Communication (❤️💬). Recognition, feedback, and course correction should be delivered with empathy, active listening, and respect for shared human needs. By embedding CCC practices into how we acknowledge contributions or address challenges, we strengthen psychological safety (🧠), deepen relational trust (🤝), and foster a resilient culture of principled collaboration.

↑↓ 6.4 Accountability: Protective Measures When Necessary

While we prioritize positive reinforcement, we recognize that protecting the safety (🧠), integrity (📀), and trust (🤝) of the community sometimes requires decisive action.

In rare cases where an individual persistently violates core principles (e.g., spreading dangerous misinformation, engaging in harassment, severely undermining group trust), protective measures such as temporary suspension or expulsion may be necessary. Such actions must be carried out transparently, with clear documentation, and aligned with restorative justice principles wherever feasible (see Chapter 13).

Prioritizing positive systems does not preclude necessary accountability; it ensures that when protection is required, it is principled, fair, and proportional—not punitive for its own sake.

↑↓ 6.5 Challenges & Hindrances

Applying incentive-focused systems at scale faces several challenges:

↑↓ Defining Shared Values: 

Polarization (🤝) makes it difficult to define what constitutes “beneficial” actions universally.

• Mitigation: Anchor incentives in widely shared human needs like safety (⭐️), health (🧠), and collective resilience (🤝).

↑↓ Complexity and Unintended Consequences: 

Incentive systems can sometimes be gamed or produce perverse effects.

• Mitigation: Prioritize transparency and iterative learning (🔄) to detect and correct system failures early.

↑↓ Equity and Power Dynamics: 

Rewards and punishments can inadvertently reinforce inequalities (=).

• Mitigation: Design mechanisms that explicitly include marginalized voices and monitor equity impacts continuously.

↑↓ Governance Capacity: 

Applying these systems requires competent, trustworthy institutions (🧠).

• Mitigation: Build capacity through decentralized, participatory models (supporting autonomy 🔎 and competence).

↑↓ Psychological Factors: 

Over-reliance on external rewards can weaken intrinsic motivation.

• Mitigation: Emphasize fulfilling psychological needs for connection, autonomy, and competence to keep engagement resilient.

↑↓ Cultural Variability:

Incentive structures may not translate equally across different cultural, political, or social contexts. Recognition styles, trust dynamics, and perceptions of fairness can vary widely.

• Mitigation: Incentive frameworks should be modular and adaptable, allowing local groups to tailor recognition systems, accountability processes, and engagement strategies to fit their own cultural realities—while remaining grounded in the Steward Network’s core principles.

↑↓ Conclusion

Maximizing rewards and minimizing punishment is not just about kindness—it is about building environments where resilience, cooperation, and proactive problem-solving become the natural path.

By emphasizing positive reinforcement, nurturing intrinsic motivation, and applying protective accountability only when truly necessary, the Steward Network can foster durable engagement, strengthen Foundational Factors, and accelerate the systemic transformations humanity urgently needs.

Next: ⚖️ Bridging Global Standards with Local Realities

Previous: ❤️💬 Constructive Compassionate Communication

1. Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein, Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008). ↩︎
2. Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan, Self-Determination Theory: Basic Psychological Needs in Motivation, Development, and Wellness (New York: Guilford Press, 2017). ↩︎