Your practical manager checklist when your team is checked out
A few months ago, a client sat across from me, exhausted. “I feel like I’m begging people to care,” she admitted. “And the worst part? I get it. I don’t know if I care that much either.”
Her team had been running at full speed for months. A big pitch had flopped. Leadership kept shifting priorities. A few people left, and replacements never came. Everyone was going through the motions.
If you’ve led people, you know this moment. The meeting where ideas don’t land. The email that gets met with silence. The creeping sense that you’re pulling a team uphill – not because they’re resisting, but because they’re drained.
The instinct? Fix it. Push harder, rally the troops, reignite the spark. But motivation isn’t something managers can create for their team. People have to rediscover their drive for themselves.
What you can do? Clear a path to make it easier for them to find. If your team is checked out (and maybe you are too), here’s how:
1. The end of “Prove Yourself” work
For decades, work was about proving yourself first, getting rewarded later. But today’s workforce has seen how that plays out – loyalty doesn’t guarantee security, overwork doesn’t guarantee promotions, and the old “put in the effort now, reap the rewards later” mindset feels flimsy.
They’re not disengaged because they’re lazy. They’re disengaged because they’re done performing enthusiasm when the payoff isn’t clear.
If your team feels checked out, start with a quick Drive Diagnosis:
✅ Tasks: Do they see how their work contributes to something meaningful? How often do you connect their tasks to a measurable goal?
✅ Talents: Are they using skills they want to grow, or stuck on autopilot? Have you checked in on how their interests are evolving?
✅ Incentives: Are rewards (promotions, raises, recognition) aligned with what actually motivates them, or are they being asked to prove themselves in ways that don’t matter?
2. Give them more control (not just more work)
Motivation dies when people feel like work is just happening to them. If your team is running on autopilot, ask yourself:
✅ Are they making decisions, or just executing orders?
✅ Do they have a say in how they work?
✅ Are they being handed more responsibility without more control?
People don’t need unlimited freedom. But if they feel like they have no power, they’ll disengage. Simple shifts help:
- Ask for their input: “How do you think we should approach this?”
- Give them ownership: “What’s one part of your role you’d love to take over more?”
- Invite collaboration: “How would you improve my work on this by 20%?”
3. Certainty is dead. So what are you replacing it with?
Your team knows the truth: layoffs happen without warning, strategies shift overnight, the rules change mid-game. Certainty isn’t coming back.
But they do need something solid. So what do you offer instead?
✅ Clarity: If something is changing, say it before they find out on Slack.
✅ Routine: If work is unpredictable, keep check-ins and feedback steady. Protect that 1:1 at all costs.
✅ Trust: If they know you’ll be totally honest, they don’t have to brace for impact.
4. Recognize that disengagement can be self-preservation
Not all disengagement is about effort. Sometimes, it’s exhaustion. Sometimes, it’s a quiet protest.
If someone is checked out, consider:
✅ Have they been overworked without real recognition?
✅ Are they tired of trying to change things that won’t budge?
✅ Have they seen others burn out and decided, Not me?
✅ Is something heavy happening in their world outside of work?
Your team may not be disengaged because they don’t care. They may just be protecting themselves. Instead of punishing disengagement, acknowledge it:
- Ask: “What’s draining your energy?” before assuming they’re unmotivated.
- Observe: “Your battery this week seems like it’s on power-save mode.” Acknowledge that not every day is a 100% day.
5. Set boundaries in a way that invites people back in
Motivation is contagious. So is burnout.
Are you constantly in reactive mode? Showing up drained? Expecting people to push through exhaustion while you do the same? If you don’t look like you believe in what you’re building, why should they?
Instead of demanding more energy, shift the tone of how you work:
✅ Set dark hours: If you send late-night emails, they’ll assume that’s expected.
✅ Celebrate effort, not just results: If success only looks like “crushing it,” they won’t try unless they’re sure they’ll win.
✅ Normalize rest: A team that never stops isn’t engaged; it’s inefficient.
Your Checklist: Next steps to rebuild motivation
✅ Create a team-owned “How We Work” guide to clarify expectations & autonomy.
✅ Add a new 1:1 ritual: Ask, “What’s feeling meaningful about your work right now?”
✅ Set a clear expectation: Define “good enough” so perfectionism doesn’t drain drive.
✅ Create a visual cue: A simple scoreboard or tracker to show progress.
✅ Write a team vision: Co-create a simple statement about what kind of team you want to be.
✅ Set a recharge boundary: Make a team promise, like no weekend emails or deep work blocks.
✅ Establish a post-mortem practice: End projects with, “What’s one thing you’re walking away with?”
Ready to build a team that feels energized again?
If you’re a new manager navigating motivation challenges, my New Manager program is designed to help you lead with confidence, clarity, and impact. Let’s talk about how to get your team re-engaged. Book a Discovery Call Here.
