What if it’s not about effort—but about alignment?

In the workplace, when an employee seems disengaged or loses momentum, the go-to solution is often the same: “We need to re-motivate them.”
We think of bonuses, training, pep talks, team-building activities… In other words, we try to reignite a flame we assume has simply faded.

But what if the issue isn’t a lack of motivation… but a lack of coherence?

At SPCTE, we’ve seen a powerful truth emerge again and again:
When someone is in the right role, aligned with their natural strengths, motivation happens naturally.
No pushing required.

Extrinsic motivation vs. intrinsic coherence

Motivation is often something we try to add from the outside—a temporary boost.
It can help, yes. But it quickly fades if it’s not grounded in something deeper.

That foundation is coherence: alignment between who the person is (naturally), what they do (daily), and the environment they operate in (the company’s structure and culture).

When a person uses their natural strengths—especially their conative instincts, their instinctive mode of action—they stop fighting themselves. They enter a state of flow. And that’s where the magic happens: energy becomes sustainable, performance becomes authentic, and engagement becomes genuine.

The right job, or the right job for them?

We often say we want the “right person in the right seat.”
But what defines the “right seat”?

It’s not just about skills or experience. It’s about who they are at their core.
A person might look great on paper, but if the role forces them to act against their instinctive strengths—what they would naturally do without mental strain—fatigue sets in. Slowly, but surely.

And with that fatigue comes what we often mislabel as “a lack of motivation.”

What if we stopped trying so hard to motivate?
Maybe the real question isn’t: How do we re-motivate this person?
But rather: Are we allowing them to fully be themselves in their role?

In other words: is there coherence between who they are and what they do every day?

If yes, motivation becomes unnecessary. They act with ease, flow, and efficiency.
If not, every attempt to boost motivation will be short-lived—or even counterproductive.

Creating coherent environments

At SPCTE, our approach is built around the three parts of the mind: affective, cognitive, and conative. The conative part—so often overlooked—but it holds the key to creating sustainable alignment and long-term employee engagement.. It allows us to build teams where each person can thrive without constantly compensating for what they’re not.

So instead of trying harder to motivate, what if we tried harder to understand?

• To notice what comes naturally to each person.
• To respect those instincts.
• To structure roles around people—instead of forcing people into rigid roles.

Because when there is coherence, momentum follows.
And with it, motivation.
Not as an obligation… but as a natural outcome.