The Passion Problem: Why Your People Don’t Need More Motivation
As leaders, we spend an extraordinary amount of time trying to answer one question:
How do I get my people to be more motivated?
It’s understandable.
Every organisation wants employees who are engaged, proactive, committed and energised.
Yet after working with leaders and teams across different industries and cultures around the world, I’ve come to believe that we may be asking the wrong question.
Because most people don’t start their careers lacking passion.
Somewhere along the way, they simply stop feeling safe enough to express it.
Gallup’s global research continues to show that employee engagement remains alarmingly low. But what if disengagement isn’t primarily a motivation problem?
What if it’s a leadership environment problem?
Think about the people on your team.
Outside work, they care deeply about things.
Their families.
Their communities.
Their hobbies.
Their personal goals.
They have opinions, creativity, ideas and energy.
So why do so many become quieter, less proactive and less invested at work?
Perhaps passion hasn’t disappeared.
Perhaps it has been suppressed.
Here are three unconventional ways leaders can bring it back.
1. Stop Managing Roles. Start Understanding People.
Many leaders can tell you exactly what each team member is responsible for.
Far fewer can tell you what genuinely matters to them.
What excites them?
What frustrates them?
What impact do they want to have?
When people feel seen beyond their job title, something powerful happens.
They begin to reconnect with purpose.
One of the simplest yet most transformative questions a leader can ask is:
“What part of your work gives you the most energy?”
The answers often reveal opportunities that no performance review ever will.
2. Reward Courage Before Results
Most organisations unintentionally teach people to play safe.
We celebrate successful outcomes.
We analyse failures.
But we rarely recognise the courage required to innovate, challenge assumptions or propose a different way forward.
The result?
People stop taking risks.
They stop sharing ideas.
They stay within the boundaries of what feels safe.
Passion thrives where curiosity is encouraged.
When leaders acknowledge thoughtful experimentation—even when it doesn’t immediately succeed—they create an environment where energy and innovation flourish.
The message becomes clear:
Your voice matters here.
Your ideas matter here.
You matter here.
3. Create Opportunities for Meaningful Contribution
One of the greatest mistakes leaders make is assuming that engagement comes from more responsibility.
It doesn’t.
Engagement comes from meaningful contribution.
People want to feel that their work has significance.
They want to know they are making a difference.
The most energised teams I’ve worked with aren’t necessarily the highest paid or the most resourced.
They are the teams where people understand how their contribution connects to something larger than themselves.
When people can see the impact they are creating, passion naturally follows.
The Mindset Shift Most Leaders Need
Many leaders believe passion is something they need to generate.
It isn’t.
Passion already exists within most people.
The real challenge is creating conditions where it can emerge.
Pressure may produce short-term compliance.
Purpose creates long-term commitment.
Control may drive activity.
Connection drives ownership.
And fear may create obedience.
But trust creates passion.
This shift changes everything.
Instead of asking:
“How do I get more from my people?”
Ask:
“How do I create an environment where people can bring more of themselves?”
The difference is profound.
Questions Worth Reflecting On
As you think about your own leadership, consider:
What strengths, ideas or talents might currently be hidden within your team?
When was the last time someone surprised you because you gave them space to contribute differently?
What behaviours in your leadership may unintentionally be suppressing energy rather than releasing it?
And perhaps the most important question of all:
If your team’s level of passion is a mirror, what reflection is it giving you today?
The leaders who create extraordinary cultures are rarely the loudest.
They are the ones who help people feel seen, valued and connected to something meaningful.
Because at the end of the day, leadership isn’t about extracting more from people.
It’s about unlocking more within them.
If you’re ready to build a team where engagement, passion and performance thrive together, I’d love to help.
Let’s start a conversation about what’s possible for your people, your culture and your leadership.
To your success,
Isabel
Which inisght has impacted you the most? Drop it in the comments!
Isabel Valle is an award-winning Global Leadership Strategist and ICF Master Coach, dedicated to helping executives and business leaders achieve sustainable success. Through her acclaimed programs like Leadership Reimagined and Lead365, Isabel equips leaders with the tools to foster innovation, build high-performing teams, and thrive in a fast-evolving world. A sought-after speaker and author, Isabel blends data-driven insights with a human-centered approach to deliver transformative results. Learn more at www.isabelvalle.com.