When someone loses motivation, leaders often respond with more targets, more accountability and another burst of “rah-rah” energy. But what if the real issue sits beneath the behaviour we can see?

In this episode of Behind the Numbers: The Leadership Series, Sadhana Smiles speaks with executive coach and leadership consultant Holly Cole-Havens about what really shapes motivation and performance.

They explore the role leaders play in influencing their team’s energy, why motivation often follows action, and how pressure, personal habits and workplace culture affect our capacity to perform.

Holly also explains why leaders need white space in their calendars to manage people well, how to respond when a high performer damages the team, and why the emotional highs and lows of success can make sustained performance harder.

Holly will continue this conversation in her session, Understanding Motivation Through Neuroscience, at The Business of Real Estate Conference on the Gold Coast.