S7 Ep9: Leading the Unmotivated — Strategies for Boosting Team Engagement

Welcome back to Your Path to Career Success, the podcast that helps you build the skills, confidence, and strategies to thrive in your career.

In this 12-minute episode, we’re tackling one of the trickiest leadership challenges: how to effectively lead and reignite motivation when your team seems disengaged or running on empty. Whether you're managing a team struggling with low morale, or you’re facing that uphill battle of trying to rally people who just don’t seem interested, this episode will give you the tools, mindset shifts, and practical strategies to turn things around.

Because here’s the truth: motivation isn’t about hype — it’s about clarity, connection, and trust. And as a leader, you have more power than you think to create the conditions where engagement naturally grows.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
• Why Motivation Dips Happen – Spot the hidden signs before they escalate and understand the root causes behind low engagement.
• The Leadership Traps That Drain Energy – Avoid common mistakes that unintentionally kill motivation, even with the best intentions.
• What Really Drives Motivation – Discover why it’s rarely about pay or perks, and what actually sparks commitment and energy in your team.
• How to Reignite Ownership and Purpose – Practical strategies to help your team feel connected, valued, and ready to step up.
• Leading with Empathy and Accountability – Find the balance between kindness and clear expectations, even when morale is low.
• What to Do When You’re Feeling Unmotivated – Because you can’t pour from an empty cup — leadership starts with recharging yourself too.

So if you’re ready to shift from managing disengagement to nurturing momentum — and to lead in a way that brings out the best in your people — this episode is for you.

Because the good news? You don’t need a perfect team to build engagement. Just the willingness to lead a little differently.

What next?
A big thank you for tuning in to Your Path To Career Success – where your dreams and your career intertwine!

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🦉 You can also connect with me over on LinkedIn for more career strategy and leadership insights.

Stay tuned for more episodes focused on helping you unlock your full leadership potential!

Useful Resources:
🎧 Further Listening & Reading
 

• "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel H. Pink
• "Leaders Eat Last" by Simon Sinek
• "Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter" by Liz Wiseman
• "The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace" by Gary Chapman & Paul White
    

🎧 Podcasts & Talks

• Brené Brown’s "Dare to Lead" Podcast
  Fantastic episodes on leadership, empathy, and creating engaged, connected teams.
• **Simon Sinek’s TED Talk: "How Great Leaders Inspire Action"
  A classic but always relevant when thinking about purpose-driven motivation.

Transcript

Welcome back to Your Path to Career Success, the podcast that helps you build the skills, confidence, and strategies to thrive in your career.

I’m Kathryn, your host, and today we’re diving into one of the most common — and frustrating — leadership challenges: how to lead when your team seems unmotivated.

💬 As Simon Sinek said, “When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.”

So, in today’s episode, we’ll cover:
✔️ Why motivation dips — and how to spot the hidden signs before they escalate
✔️ The common leadership traps that accidentally kill engagement
✔️ What truly drives motivation — and why it’s rarely about money or perks
✔️ Practical strategies to reignite ownership, purpose, and energy across your team
✔️ How to lead with empathy and accountability — even when morale is low

Along the way, I’ll share real examples, including challenges many of my clients face, and give you the tools to shift from managing disengagement to nurturing momentum.

💬 Because as Brené Brown reminds us: “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.”

Motivation isn’t about hype. It’s about clarity, connection, and trust.

And the good news? You don’t need a perfect team to build that — just the willingness to lead differently.

Before we jump in, grab your favourite beverage, find a comfy spot, and get ready to map out your leadership path with those lightbulb moments.

Segment 1: Motivation Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
Here’s the first thing to understand: not everyone is motivated by the same things, and that’s perfectly okay. Motivation is deeply personal, and it varies from person to person based on their experiences, needs, and even their personality type.

Take a moment and think about it: one person might light up when they’re given more responsibility. 

The chance to lead a project or take ownership of a key task might be the thing that really gets them going. For others, the recognition they receive for their contributions is what fuels their fire. They want to be seen, to have their hard work acknowledged in front of others. And then, there are those who just want to do their job quietly, get the task done efficiently, and have the autonomy to perform without constant oversight. They don’t need the spotlight or added responsibility, just trust that they’ve got it handled.

The challenge for leaders is that these different sources of motivation aren’t always immediately obvious. And if you’re applying one-size-fits-all engagement strategies across your entire team, it’s likely that those efforts are missing the mark for some, or worse — they’re draining your own energy too. You may be going through the motions, investing time and effort, but not seeing the results you were hoping for.

The key to effective leadership in this area is understanding that motivation isn’t a blanket solution. 
It’s not about pushing the same buttons for everyone and hoping for a universal response. Great leaders don’t guess. They ask. And they listen.

💬 As Zig Ziglar says “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing — that’s why we recommend it daily.” — 

🧠 Try this: In your next 1:1, ask your team member some thoughtful, open-ended questions to start uncovering what drives them. You could ask:
• “What part of your job energises you right now?”
This question gives them the chance to reflect on what they enjoy and feel passionate about in their role. This is crucial for aligning their strengths with opportunities.
• “What’s feeling flat or frustrating?”
This helps you identify pain points. Maybe there are areas in their work that don’t inspire them, or they’re facing challenges that could be affecting their motivation. Understanding these barriers is just as important as celebrating their wins.
• “When was the last time you felt proud of your work?”
This is a powerful question. It encourages them to reflect on their achievements and think about what success looks like to them. It’s also a great way to remind them of the value they bring to the team and rekindle that sense of pride.

Motivation is personal. It lives in the details. By asking the right questions and showing genuine interest in what drives each individual, you’re not just improving engagement — you’re building a deeper connection with your team. 

So, instead of assuming you know what will motivate them, get curious. And trust me, the more you engage in these kinds of conversations, the more you’ll start to see exactly what sparks that internal drive in each team member.

Segment 2: Spot the Root, Not Just the Symptom
Low motivation often shows up as disengagement, lateness, poor communication, or underperformance. But these are just the visible signs, the symptoms. If you only focus on these, you're addressing the surface-level issues without truly understanding what's at the core.

The real question to ask yourself is: What’s underneath?

Is it burnout? When someone is burned out, they might struggle to find the energy or enthusiasm to engage. They might seem distant, but it’s not because they don’t care — it’s because they’ve been running on empty for too long.

Is it boredom? When tasks feel repetitive or meaningless, it’s easy for employees to lose interest. They don’t feel challenged or inspired anymore.
Is it a lack of clarity? If team members don’t understand the bigger picture or how their work ties into the company’s mission, they’re more likely to disengage.

Or maybe it’s the feeling that their work doesn’t matter. Sometimes, team members feel like they’re just a cog in the machine, not valued for the unique contributions they make.
Perhaps they simply don’t feel seen or heard. If communication is lacking, or if they don’t feel supported or acknowledged, motivation takes a hit.

Here’s the problem: If you jump straight to “How do I fix this?” without understanding what’s truly driving the behaviour, you risk offering surface-level solutions to a much deeper problem. Band-aid fixes might give temporary relief, but the underlying issue will remain and may resurface even stronger.

💬 As Maya Angelou wisely said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

So, ask yourself: Are my team members emotionally invested right now? Are they feeling valued, heard, and connected to the work they do?

If the answer is no, then the next question becomes: Why not?

That’s where your leadership work begins — understanding the root causes, not just the symptoms. 

When you dig deeper, you can uncover what’s truly holding your team back, and that’s where real change happens.

Segment 3: Create Conditions That Spark Engagement
You can’t force motivation — but you can create the conditions where it thrives naturally.

So how do you do that? How do you create a workplace where people feel driven, energised, and excited to show up every day?

Here’s how:

Set Clear Expectations
People need to know what’s expected of them. Without clarity, people can feel lost, anxious, and disconnected. When expectations are set clearly from the beginning, it provides a solid foundation for action. This allows your team to focus their energy on what really matters instead of second-guessing or navigating ambiguity. Clear expectations build confidence and focus, both of which are essential for motivation.

Celebrate Progress, Not Just Outcomes
Don’t wait until the end of a project or milestone to give recognition. Celebrate along the way — acknowledge the small wins, the improvements, and the effort people are putting in. When people feel seen for their ongoing work, they’re more likely to stay engaged. Motivation isn’t just about the finish line; it’s about what’s happening in the present. When you celebrate progress, you reinforce the belief that effort is valued, which fuels continued effort.

Connect the Dots
Help your team members see the connection between their work and the bigger picture. Often, when people don’t understand how their individual tasks contribute to the overall mission, it’s easy for them to disengage. But when they see the direct impact of their work, they feel a deeper sense of purpose. When motivation is tied to meaning, people naturally bring more energy and commitment to their roles. So take time to show them the “why” behind the work.





Offer Autonomy
Micromanagement stifles motivation faster than almost anything else. When you give people the freedom to make decisions, take ownership, and be responsible for their work, they feel empowered. This autonomy breeds trust, and when people feel trusted, they’re more likely to invest in their work with passion and ownership. Instead of focusing on controlling every step, focus on providing support and guidance when needed — and give them the space to thrive.

By creating the right environment, you’ll ignite the spark of motivation that already exists within your team. And once it’s ignited, it’s much easier to sustain.

Segment 4: When You’re the One Feeling Unmotivated
Let’s face it — there are times when you’re the one who’s feeling flat. And when you're running on empty, it’s tough to inspire others. Leadership can feel draining when you’re not fully charged yourself.

If you find yourself struggling to lift the energy of your team, it’s important to check in with yourself first. Take a moment to ask:
• What’s draining your energy right now?
Is there a specific stressor or task that’s taking all your focus? Identifying the source of your fatigue is the first step in addressing it.
• Have you had time to think, reflect, and reset?
Sometimes, we get so caught up in the demands of leadership that we forget to pause and give ourselves the space to recharge. Taking a step back to reflect, even for a short period, can help you regain clarity and energy.
• Are you modelling the kind of motivation you want your team to show?
As leaders, we set the tone. If we’re disengaged, frustrated, or lacking enthusiasm, it’s easy for that energy to trickle down. However, when we show up with commitment, consistency, and care, even in tough times, it encourages the same behaviour from those around us.

Leadership isn’t about always having it together — it’s about being honest with yourself and your team, resetting when necessary, and leading by example. On days when motivation is low, sometimes the best thing you can do is show up with consistency, and remind your team that you believe in them, especially on days when they may not believe in themselves.

Your belief in your team — even when they’re struggling — can be the spark that helps them find their own motivation again. And in turn, it’ll help you reignite yours too.

Wrap Up & Recap
That’s it for today’s episode. Let’s quickly recap everything we covered:
1️. Motivation Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
Every team member is different. The key to unlocking motivation is understanding what makes each person tick — not assuming, but asking.
2️. Spot the Root, Not Just the Symptom
Low energy and disengagement are surface signs. Get curious about the deeper cause — whether it’s lack of clarity, recognition, or meaning.
3️. Create Conditions That Spark Engagement
Clarity, recognition, purpose, and autonomy. These are the ingredients that help motivation thrive. Focus on creating the right environment — not just pushing for results.
4️. Lead Yourself First
If your tank is empty, your team will feel it. Take care of your own motivation so you can lead with energy, authenticity, and belief.
If you found today’s episode valuable, hit that subscribe button, leave a review, and share it with your network. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn—just search Kathryn Hall, The Career Owl.

And if you’re looking for more support, drop me a DM or send me an email (details are in the show notes) and I’d love to help you.

Remember, leadership isn't about being a constant source of motivation; it's about creating the space where motivation can thrive — for you and your team. When you foster the right environment, show up with authenticity, and lead with empathy, you’ll inspire more than just performance — you’ll inspire true engagement. So, as you step into your leadership role today, think about how you can spark that energy, and don't forget: motivation begins with you.