Coaching an Employee Who's Lost Motivation
A structured approach to help employees reconnect to purpose, energy, and personal ownership
"Your work still makes a difference here."
Part of The Manager Script Vault™ — Leadership Without the Trade-Off
www.auroeq.com
The Situation
An employee who used to show initiative and energy has gone flat. Work is getting done, but without spark or ownership. They aren't negative — just detached.
When motivation fades, performance often follows. It's rarely about laziness; it's about lost meaning, lack of progress, or unseen effort.
This script helps you identify what's blocking motivation, rebuild connection to purpose, and re-ignite ownership — without pressure or pep talks.
Your Objective
Your goal is to uncover what's driving the loss of motivation and help the employee reconnect to progress that feels meaningful. You'll use curiosity to surface the root cause, affirm capability, and co-create a renewed sense of direction and purpose.
The focus: calm curiosity, credible belief, and simple, forward-focused steps. Just as motivation can fade, it can be rekindled through intentional leadership that creates environments fostering renewed purpose and visible progress.
1-Minute Prep
Notice the shift
Identify what's changed in tone, pace, or engagement. Look for loss of initiative, reduced questions, or work that feels mechanical rather than thoughtful.
Find a recent win
Begin with something they did well to rebuild confidence. You're not re-inspiring effort — you're rebuilding connection to meaning and impact.
Mindset
You're helping them see their contribution matters. Focus on progress visibility and meaningful work rather than pushing harder or working faster.
Steps + Scripts
1
Open with care
"I wanted to check in. I've noticed you haven't seemed quite as energized lately and wanted to see how things are feeling for you."
Signals concern, not criticism. Creates awareness without triggering defensiveness. Shows you notice and care about their wellbeing.
2
Acknowledge past strength
"You've always been someone who takes pride in your work — that's one of the things I value about you."
Starts from recognition, not deficiency. Anchors in their capability and past engagement to rebuild confidence.
3
Explore what's changed
"What's been feeling different lately, or what's making it harder to stay motivated?"
Invites honest reflection. Creates psychological safety to share what's really driving the loss of engagement.
4
Listen and reflect
"It sounds like some of the spark has faded because it's felt more about tasks than progress."
Names the emotion safely. Helps them feel heard and understood while identifying the root issue.
5
Reconnect meaning and progress
"When your work drives visible results, it creates momentum. Let's look at where you're making real impact and make that more visible."
Links contribution to purpose. Helps them see how their work matters and creates meaningful progress.
6
Co-create one small win
"What's one thing that would make this week feel like forward motion for you?"
Focuses on attainable progress. Builds ownership through collaboration and creates immediate momentum.
7
Close with belief
"You bring a lot of value to this team — I know that drive is still there. Let's rebuild it step by step."
Ends with confidence and partnership. Transfers belief while committing to ongoing support and development.
Say This / Not This
Language that rebuilds connection and ownership without pressure.
Watch the role-play videos to observe the delivery, tone, and flow of this conversation.
Notice how intentional language choices shape the outcome and strengthen manager communication. Click the buttons below to access the role-play videos
Manager Checklist
1
Observe before assuming
Ground in facts, not feelings. Notice specific changes in behavior, engagement, or output rather than making assumptions about their attitude or commitment.
2
Anchor in belief
Lead with confidence in their capability. When employees feel valued and trusted, they report higher satisfaction and renewed engagement. Your belief becomes their foundation.
3
Help them see progress
Visibility rebuilds motivation. Make their impact clear and tangible. Connect their work to outcomes and help them see how they're making a meaningful difference.
4
Co-create next steps
Ownership drives engagement. Let them identify what would feel like forward motion. Their investment in the solution increases commitment to the outcome.
5
Follow up quickly
Keep momentum visible and specific. Regular check-ins prevent motivation from fading again and demonstrate ongoing investment in their success and growth.
Email Template
Subject: Follow-Up: Rebuilding MomentumHi [Name],I appreciated our conversation today and your honesty about where things have felt stuck.Here's what we agreed to focus on:
Tone Guide
Lead with curiosity, not concern.
- Caring, not critical: Motivation loss isn't a performance issue.
- Believing, not pushing: Rebuild connection to purpose instead of demanding energy.
- Collaborative, not corrective: Co-create solutions together.
- Patient, not passive: Give space to reconnect without removing accountability.
- Consistent, not conditional: Follow-up maintains momentum and shows ongoing support.
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